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momoreiji · 2008-10-03, 15:50

Honestly, those who keep saying that Rolo is only the result of NOT AS PLANNED and is there just for yaoi fanservice should pay more attention to all the depth put into his character. All the scenes showing his emotions (like him looking at his locket in episode 6 after hearing Lelouch say "I love you, Nunnally!", or in episode 12 when he's complaining that Sayoko made promises to other people, or in that same episode again, when Lelouch says he doesn't want to get Shirley involved anymore and Rolo reacts with surprise, while Viletta and Sayoko have no reaction so the only focus is on him, or all the times he was shown wondering whether he could trust Lelouch in episode 5, or that scene in episode 13 in which Viletta asks him why he'd betrayed the cult, and he gets all defensive...), which could have been MUCH more simplified. They are not necessary to help the main plot advance. If they just wanted to show that he's doubtful at first but then ends up getting attached to Lelouch, they wouldn't have needed to emphasize on his feelings SO much.

I've already lost count of all the occasions I've been surprised by how well he kept being treated after episode 13. Like TVTropes has him listed as, I, too, was afraid that he would become a "scrappy" after what he did to Shirley. Indeed, the viewers started hating Rolo and wishing that he died. I thought his role as a tragic character had ended. The writers kept respecting him instead.

Seriously, not even Lelouch blamed him directly. The series would mainly portray The Cult as the real culprit and thus keep Rolo's image as that of a victim's. He is, indeed, partly, but heck, Rolo is my absolute favourite and even I thought that it was unfair for Shirley (and her fans). And going as far as stopping to include her in the relationship chart... It's like by playing her death down, they're trying to make it seem like what Rolo did was not so bad. I'm not saying that's what Sunrise means to transmit, it's just a feeling I get, just like how I feel that Nunnally's character was destroyed (in the sense that she'd become Lelouch's enemy and not be able to live with him happily in the end) just so that the viewers would miss and appreciate the other little sibling more. I insist that this is just a feeling I get and hopefully not the truth, as it'd be too extreme of a bias.

Still, did you notice how there was only one new picture when Lelouch was about to die and remembering all the people important to him? Yeah, it featured him and ROLO. ONLY Rolo got a freakin' new pic, which was shown for longer than most of the rest of the flashback scenes, too. Can this privilege be justified with a simple "it's just for the yaoi fangirls"? I can't even think of a reasonable justification either. Logic tells that, in case someone were to get new footage in Lelouch's mind, it should be Nunnally. Why is it Rolo? You can't say Lelouch only pitied his sacrifice but didn't feel a personal lose. Sunrise seems to be the one who wants Rolo back, too!

Then, what I mean to say is, do you people really believe Taniguchi hates Rolo? Do you really think he'd have been given such a beautiful death scene "only for the fangirls"? For me, all the feeling put into not only his final moments, but also his whole development, is apparent.

Sometimes even if you have to make unexpected changes, you might end up liking at least part of the results. Seeing all the respect and love he's been treated with I'd say he rather symbolizes the good part of the new R2. Again, I don't think he deserves more appreciation than other characters at all, I'm just talking about the bit of him being or not just a "rag" to the writers themselves.

(By the way, Vakir, Rivalz made a direct mention asking about Rolo in episode 20.)

2008-10-03, 15:50	Link #1815
momoreiji ♥♥♥ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Spain	Honestly, those who keep saying that Rolo is only the result of NOT AS PLANNED and is there just for yaoi fanservice should pay more attention to all the depth put into his character. All the scenes showing his emotions (like him looking at his locket in episode 6 after hearing Lelouch say "I love you, Nunnally!", or in episode 12 when he's complaining that Sayoko made promises to other people, or in that same episode again, when Lelouch says he doesn't want to get Shirley involved anymore and Rolo reacts with surprise, while Viletta and Sayoko have no reaction so the only focus is on him, or all the times he was shown wondering whether he could trust Lelouch in episode 5, or that scene in episode 13 in which Viletta asks him why he'd betrayed the cult, and he gets all defensive...), which could have been MUCH more simplified. They are not necessary to help the main plot advance. If they just wanted to show that he's doubtful at first but then ends up getting attached to Lelouch, they wouldn't have needed to emphasize on his feelings SO much. I've already lost count of all the occasions I've been surprised by how well he kept being treated after episode 13. Like TVTropes has him listed as, I, too, was afraid that he would become a "scrappy" after what he did to Shirley. Indeed, the viewers started hating Rolo and wishing that he died. I thought his role as a tragic character had ended. The writers kept respecting him instead. Seriously, not even Lelouch blamed him directly. The series would mainly portray The Cult as the real culprit and thus keep Rolo's image as that of a victim's. He is, indeed, partly, but heck, Rolo is my absolute favourite and even I thought that it was unfair for Shirley (and her fans). And going as far as stopping to include her in the relationship chart... It's like by playing her death down, they're trying to make it seem like what Rolo did was not so bad. I'm not saying that's what Sunrise means to transmit, it's just a feeling I get, just like how I feel that Nunnally's character was destroyed (in the sense that she'd become Lelouch's enemy and not be able to live with him happily in the end) just so that the viewers would miss and appreciate the other little sibling more. I insist that this is just a feeling I get and hopefully not the truth, as it'd be too extreme of a bias. Still, did you notice how there was only one new picture when Lelouch was about to die and remembering all the people important to him? Yeah, it featured him and ROLO. ONLY Rolo got a freakin' new pic, which was shown for longer than most of the rest of the flashback scenes, too. Can this privilege be justified with a simple "it's just for the yaoi fangirls"? I can't even think of a reasonable justification either. Logic tells that, in case someone were to get new footage in Lelouch's mind, it should be Nunnally. Why is it Rolo? You can't say Lelouch only pitied his sacrifice but didn't feel a personal lose. Sunrise seems to be the one who wants Rolo back, too! Then, what I mean to say is, do you people really believe Taniguchi hates Rolo? Do you really think he'd have been given such a beautiful death scene "only for the fangirls"? For me, all the feeling put into not only his final moments, but also his whole development, is apparent. Sometimes even if you have to make unexpected changes, you might end up liking at least part of the results. Seeing all the respect and love he's been treated with I'd say he rather symbolizes the good part of the new R2. Again, I don't think he deserves more appreciation than other characters at all, I'm just talking about the bit of him being or not just a "rag" to the writers themselves. (By the way, Vakir, Rivalz made a direct mention asking about Rolo in episode 20.)