(L) Mirai Nikki (Series)

[Guido]

The bunch of mixed feelings that I hold for Yuno continues to increase, as it's getting difficult with each episode for me to feel even a small atom of sympathy for her.

Spoiler:

To me she crossed the line between sympathy and hatred the moment she took at knife-point range the already agonizing Ai hostage to bargain hers and Yukki's way out of the rubble against Marco.

I really wanted to understand why Yuki couldn't even reassert himself and shout out to her to stop going to extreme. We know Yukki's is the weakling in the survival fights, but his words carry power that works on and becomes very effective upon Yuno, if he at least grows some backbone to mean them.

As for Seventh's (Ai and Marco) when they first got introduced I never ever got this vibe about them being rampaging murderers that killed casually just for the fun of it. No, they did have hearts for each other, and I believe they wouldn't kill either if they could help it or if the rest of the world let them be.

Spoiler:

Their pasts were wretched, and Ai's became very fucked-up after what those girls and, later, those disgusting boys did to her. And, Marco plunged himself into hell as his rightly-view punishment for leaving Ai alone to that fate.

Their deaths were beautifully executed, dying in the place of their memories where all started for them when meeting first as kids, and fourteen years later marrying in that crumbling tower.

[rafael1932]

I don’t have mixed feelings for yuno, i just love her. The only thing that bothers me is if she was the one killing her parents. I don’t know but hope not. But after seeing yuki father killing his mother, I just don’t know, I must know the circumstances behind that.

Yuno crossed the line when she kidnapped yuki the way she had done. But if we consider all things going around them, it was still a good idea, the difference between death and life. Besides she had done that with the best intentions.

I just hope that yuki would became a man soon enough. If you think a little is like the only function of yuki is to hold on the “animal” that resides inside yuno. Only that is too little after all she does the killing, the plans, cook meals etc etc

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by rafael1932

Yuno crossed the line when she kidnapped yuki the way she had done. But if we consider all things going around them, it was still a good idea, the difference between death and life. Besides she had done that with the best intentions.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that's what the cops would say. Better yet, imagine if Yuno and Yuki had switched genders (no "it would suit their roles better" jokes). I don't think the "best intentions" thing would fly.

Also, I notice a lot of people hating on Yuki because he's a wimp and wishing he would man up. I must be one of the few people who like his wimpy character.

[warita]

Originally Posted by Flawnalyst

Also, I notice a lot of people hating on Yuki because he's a wimp and wishing he would man up. I must be one of the few people who like his wimpy character.

It is a pleasant break from the typical shounen hero type.... I think that they made Yukki purposely whimpy, it is probably part of the character development. Actually, come to think of it, he has gone a long way already. He might be whimpy, but he started interacting with people, which he didnt at the beginning of the anime. He also made friends..... and he tries to support Yuno, albeit he does a bad job on that.

[Malkuth]

I can understand (despite not liking) the shounen archtype of wimpy MC manning up, the problem with Yukiteru is that we are 3/4ths into the anime and he is as much of a useless crybaby as he was in the beginning

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by Malkuth

I can understand (despite not liking) the shounen archtype of wimpy MC manning up, the problem with Yukiteru is that we are 3/4ths into the anime and he is as much of a useless crybaby as he was in the beginning

I think you misunderstood me. I like that he's not taking the Naruto route. I like that he's a wimpy MC who doesn't "man" up, so much as grow more desperate and insane whilst digging his own grave every single episode. That would usually be a problem, except the anime knows he's this, and exploits it to its own end. They actually take advantage of the fact that he's a wimp. Most wimp characters are just wimps so they can grow or introduce needless conflict. I actually like the conflicts that Yuki's nature creates.

As for the complaints about him not manning up, I can't think of one thing in this series that would convince him to man up, or even change. More than anything, I like how Yuki is a consistent wimp (I've heard complaints that he isn't written consistently, but I digress). Despite what people think, being hunted in a survival game is not really something that would man someone up, so much as turn him paranoid (granted the anime doesn't really do that very well either), especially when it's done to a middle-school kid. Besides his mom getting killed, give me one thing that would actually convince him to man up. Because I can't think of any. The multiple attempts at his life? I always found that to be artificial. That incident with Yuno locking him up? That would make him mad at her, but that would also just make him more paranoid. His friends? Again, a little artificial.

With that said, yes it is very annoying when a character stays the same for this long, and even I want him to change soon at this point. But given what he's gone through now, I think it's inevitable he'll change. If they make him go all badass in the next episode though, I will puke. Change doesn't happen that fast.

[miketyson]

I'll agree with Flawnylst here. The thing with "manning up" is that in something like Naruto, Naruto's goals are good goals he personally chose (I think, if it's like most of those stories). In Mirai Nikki Yukiteru's involuntarily placed into a game he'd never voluntarily participate in, and moreover other than not wanting to die he doesn't have any specific motivation to try and win the game, either.

He could definitely handle this fate much better than he has, but for him to get all gung-ho about winning the game -- and, therefore, actively trying to kill off the other players, etc. -- would require a radical personality change from who he previously was. For the most part his actions have been true to what we know of his character -- he's only trying to survive, not actively trying to win the game, and wishing the other players would do the same -- but frequently breaks down under pressure, due to his wussiness.

It'd be disconcerting in a different way to see a Naruto-style, gung-ho Yukiteru: he'd be just as scary as Yuno if he went that way, and turn into more of a Yagami Light character.

[Malkuth]

Guys manning up does not have to be done in the Naruto or other childish show, it's not a black and white process... let me explain, Yukiteru spends the current* duration of show psychologically unaffected by reality-shattering events, both in world and personal scales. On the other end of the scale, Naruto (as any other childish shounen hero) excels at taking idiotic and ballsy risks against all reason instead of actually developing as a person through accumulating experience by failing since he always prevails (long-term).

My point is that should the writer aim for realistic character development, instead of having an MC that wimps buying en mass the manga could identify with as an excuse to write about interesting supporting cast for the rest of us, could have a more logical progress with Yukiteru's character... a good example is the previous arc, Yukiteru is tortured by Yuno, realizes that her love is harmful to his friends and himself, decides to distance himself from her and depend more on others (including himself), and by the next arc he regresses to his previous way of thinking because he is cornered and must make a choice between dealing with the situation alone or with Yuno, forgetting that he spent a week chained in a chair humiliated from the person that he is about to trust his life and well-being with/to.

TL;DR: Yukiteru behaves the same and has not developed as a character since episode 1 despite everything that has happened to him

* adjectives used to avoid spoiling or hinting

[Flawfinder]

About that Yuno torturing thing him, I said before that I never saw it as an opportunity for growth. Depending on his friends, maybe (although they suck at it), but I never saw it as an opportunity to depend on himself. And like you said, it turns out he can't stay alive without depending on Yuno, so whatever.

Anyways, I know Yuki hasn't changed since we were introduced to him. I like his character now though, so I stick with it. But nothing has happened that would require him to man up or change his personality in any good way. Especially since every time he tries to change a little (like trusting Yuno), some conflict beyond his control happens and messes him up again. Now, if you think the conflicts are forced, that's a different story.

Translation: Yuki is sort of a guilty pleasure character for me. And I will never understand why people think Akise is so interesting.

[Malkuth]

^ but the way you described Yukiteru is like a parasite feeding on others' abilities (be it Yuno, Aru, the cop, Minene, or his so called friends)... that is my objection as having him as a protagonist instead of an antagonist.

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by Malkuth

^ but the way you described Yukiteru is like a parasite feeding on others' abilities (be it Yuno, Aru, the cop, Minene, or his so called friends)... that is my objection as having him as a protagonist instead of an antagonist.

And that's pretty much one of the main reasons I like him, despite the fact that yes, I know he has hateable qualities. It helps that the anime seems to know he's this, so they have fun with it. If it wasn't done on purpose (like Bella from Twilight), yes, I would have a problem with it. When it's done on purpose, I think it makes for an entertaining (I'm not saying good) character. And no, I don't want him to be like this for the entire series (he needs to change sometime). At the same time though, I don't want him to change into some righteous hero or something. I want him to go like Shu currently is in Guilty Crown, only at a slower pace.

[miketyson]

It doesn't help the plot of Mirai Nikki is pretty flimsy against a Yukiteru with some backbone and critical thinking skills, because if he started asking Yuno the obvious questions the plot'd rapidly diverge from Mirai Nikki's original story. There's just not a lot of room to keep the story as-is and make Yukiteru less wussy than he is.

[Malkuth]

Originally Posted by Flawnalyst

And that's pretty much one of the main reasons I like him, despite the fact that yes, I know he has hateable qualities. It helps that the anime seems to know he's this, so they have fun with it. If it wasn't done on purpose (like Bella from Twilight), yes, I would have a problem with it. When it's done on purpose, I think it makes for an entertaining (I'm not saying good) character. And no, I don't want him to be like this for the entire series (he needs to change sometime). At the same time though, I don't want him to change into some righteous hero or something. I want him to go like Shu currently is in Guilty Crown, only at a slower pace.

Hehe, the MC of Guilty Crown was one of the reasons I dropped it, but unlike Mirai Nikki, when taken seriously Mirai Nikki's supporting cast was not also static and despicable/resentable parasites as was Guilty Crown's

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by miketyson

It doesn't help the plot of Mirai Nikki is pretty flimsy against a Yukiteru with some backbone and critical thinking skills, because if he started asking Yuno the obvious questions the plot'd rapidly diverge from Mirai Nikki's original story. There's just not a lot of room to keep the story as-is and make Yukiteru less wussy than he is.

He does ask some smart questions, like why does Yuno like him and stuff like that. It's just that she wouldn't answer them. While I could see him pushing for them if he was less wussy, I don't think Yuno would answer him ever. Also, if Yuki was less wussy, I can see him taking out his opponents a little faster, but that's pretty much it. I can't think of any time the plot really stalled because of his nature.

Hehe, the MC of Guilty Crown was one of the reasons I dropped it, but unlike Mirai Nikki, when taken seriously Mirai Nikki's supporting cast was not also static and despicable/resentable parasites as was Guilty Crown's

Oh god, I always compare Yuki to Shu. Anyways, my problem with the MC of that show was not that he was a wimp who didn't really change (if you look at the episodes now though, he has). It's that the show didn't seem to recognize that he was a jackass and treated him more like a hero when he wasn't. And yes, I like the supporting cast of this show more than that one. I actually cared that Yuki's mom died, and she barely did anything. That's how much I like the supporting cast of this show (I think the only one I don't really care for is Mao, who is pretty pointless).

[Malkuth]

^ This is my point and problem (when I think of Mirai Nikki seriously), the protagonist serves as an excuse for the rest of the cast, and therefore any semblance of realism and interest is totally lost to the rigorous eyes... still there is a load of interesting supporting cast and hilarious situations produces by an unrealistic and uninteresting wimp that because of a universal conspiracy is the center of attention to anything relevant to the manga's story

[Flawfinder]

Originally Posted by Malkuth

^ This is my point and problem (when I think of Mirai Nikki seriously), the protagonist serves as an excuse for the rest of the cast, and therefore any semblance of realism and interest is totally lost to the rigorous eyes... still there is a load of interesting supporting cast and hilarious situations produces by an unrealistic and uninteresting wimp that because of a universal conspiracy is the center of attention to anything relevant to the manga's story

Yeah, I get that. Part of the reason I like Yuki is because of the interesting stuff that happens because of or to him. I do realize that if you took Yuki out of this story, he wouldn't be very interesting (like I said, he's a guilty pleasure character. I know he's not really that good a character). However, I was sold on him when he first got the diary and then started using it for selfish reasons with a cheerful face. It's a minor detail, but after that, I realized that this was a wimp character I could get behind.

[miketyson]

Originally Posted by Flawnalyst

He does ask some smart questions, like why does Yuno like him and stuff like that. It's just that she wouldn't answer them. While I could see him pushing for them if he was less wussy, I don't think Yuno would answer him ever. Also, if Yuki was less wussy, I can see him taking out his opponents a little faster, but that's pretty much it. I can't think of any time the plot really stalled because of his nature.

I guess I'd rephrase it as: the plot is fragile in the sense that lots of scenes that'd be natural/logical to include have to be omitted, b/c there's no way to have the scenes play out naturally without taking away from other parts of the story (tension, suspense, mystery, etc.).

A good example is the end of episode 1: Yuno casually asks Yukiteru to go get a meal. We never find out if he took her up on it or not, and it's never referenced again.

Why not? IMHO b/c it'd be a difficult scene to include without ruining other parts of the story. If you think about how it'd have to play out, the natural things for Yukiteru to want to ask her about would be things like what she knows about the diaries, how she knows them, what's going to happen next, and so on. You could maybe make this work, but then it undermines the scene wherein Deus gathers everyone and explains the rules, and possibly plants some seeds about Yuno best saved for later.

So that scene "can't happen" b/c it can't play out naturally. That's more what I had in mind about being flimsy against critical thinking. A lot of the scenes we do get only work as well as they do because of Yukiteru's wussiness: think about his first visit to Yuno's house, and how much weaker it would've been if he'd asked her upfront where her parents were (before opening that door). That kind of thing.

[Ray]

Poor Ai and Marco. Their love was so beautiful; it's real shame they had to die like that. I guess there is some comfort in knowing that they got married at their dream place and will be together 'forever'.

The tower explosion CG was.. horrendous. I would've much preferred if the explosion were done in 2D.

@Daddy Dearest: I hope you die in the most painful, bone crushing, flesh churning, skin tearing, and eye gouging manner possible for being such an abject father. :>

I have a feeling that everything will go south from here on in for Yuki. It doesn't particularly help that Yuno is such a manipulative woman. But she could've changed over the course of story? Maybe? Ah, whom am I fooling; that woman gets what she wants regardless of the price that has to be paid. My feelings towards Yuno seem to oscillate between love and contempt. Hopefully the next few episodes won't give me any reasons to hate her, because I don't really want to. I'm still going to hold on to the silly belief that everything will work out for Yuno and Yukki.

[Arya]

Ok, finally I have reached the current episode. First time I dropped this series at the first episode because of Renton-Yukki, I knew I couldn't stand him. But I had underestimated Yuno. If only she don't have this crush on him I could change my Yandere avatar
Anyways I beared until now so I need to vent my frustration at Yukki. The problem is that he is not only a wimp but, I have to say it, he looks stupid.

Spoiler for ep. 17:

I mean he lives in his world, to say the last, how could he think about his parents remarrying while he is on a parachute? Parachute his father had stolen from him. Leaving him inside a collapsing tower. It was something childish even the first time he spoke about it. But the second was outrageous.

And really this show has such a good cast but him. As Aphrah has said It's a shame that Ai and Marco had to die. Instead of him. They were so rightful. Marco told him the right things, the only thing he missed was to punch him tenth eleventh times when he could.

Now I'm curious how they handle him with his mother's death.

But, and I end my anger here, I really hope Yuno will kill him in some bloody way

[kitten320]

I'm behind with series so...
Just watched episode 14, I like this composed Yuno far more than any other of her personalities. It actually makes her look cool. Her crush side is too damn dumb and annoying and mad side is just mad with crush in addition what makes it a bad combination.
If Yuno were to act like that all the time, I might have liked her but so far she still is an eye sore.

EDIT: episode 15
New OP and ED? I really preferred old ones more =/
And since I dislike Yuno a lot, whole ED about her was just meh. Seriously, if they won't give me any good reasons for her obsession with gutless Yukki, I'll drop my mark for this show because it gets irritating.
To bad 7th seem like nice people, they could've killed them right there! Hate main charas x_x

Episode 16
I'm lost, how did Yuno know that it was 11th?