Medaka Box [Manga]

[Arturro]

Originally Posted by Dark Mage

This makes me think, that Zenkichi really is just happy to be Medaka's friend and is satisfied with being in the "Friend Zone" and even if she gets taken away by someone else he will be perfectly fine with it. I mean Medaka behaves with Zenkichi just the way she does with everyone else and this was the only time she acted from her heart and it wasnt Zen who made her feel that way. It looks like Medaka only sees Zen as a servant of sorts who isnt even allowed to keep friends without Medaka's permission

Zen is well aware that he has a role of "unlucky childhood friend", he is a good pupy and all he wish for is to make his master happy...
When you love someone you wish to make thas special someone happy even if it will cost you a lot, but in Zen case it's gone to far. He is just pathetic.

[Kafriel]

I, on the other hand, will keep my faith in Zen and assume this is just building the story for him to break through any obstacles (men) between him and Medaka, although that will take a long time. As for why Medaka wants him to come along, maybe because Zenkichi is one of the few people who know her brother?

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by DJ Trouble

I just noticed that Zen missed an opportunity to kiss Medaka himself. If he had taken the initiative, she wouldn't have resisted. Well, it's not like he could grow balls the size of a mountain in the span of two seconds, so I can understand why he didn't . . .

Did everyone overlook the fact that Medaka was looking for Zen so he could go with her to see her brother? I think that's pretty important. Using Zen for emotional support? Yea, I like that.

I don't think it's emotional support. I think it's so her brother has someone else to beat on other than her as she sound afraid of him. :P

Originally Posted by Arturro

Zen is well aware that he has a role of "unlucky childhood friend", he is a good pupy and all he wish for is to make his master happy...
When you love someone you wish to make thas special someone happy even if it will cost you a lot, but in Zen case it's gone to far. He is just pathetic.

I agree. Zen is definitely in the unlucky childhood friend category. Medaka is a social outcast who doesn't understand what love and affection is, which is supposed to be one of her character flaws. Personally, I'm completely fine with that, however, Zen is just too damn passive. For a guy who's supposed to be pretty damn strong for a normal human being, he seems to really be a coward inside when it comes to Medaka. That could be one of his character flaws, but it's been portrayed so badly that instead of coming off as insecure, he instead just comes off like a complete wuss. Combine this with Medaka issues and mix in Zen going to the back burner and it becomes very hard to see why Medaka would ever need him like she said in the first chapter. That's just bad storytelling, which is a surprise coming from someone who's supposed to be a great author.

[Qilin]

With the way things are going, I'll be expecting a plot point like "If a normal person really works hard enough, they can reach the level of a genius". It's overdone, but me thinks it's the only way to save Zen from the sudden flood of overpowered characters in the series. That's assuming that this is already a battle manga of course.

That aside, I want my light-hearted school life manga back

[War_Lord]

Somehow I feel like I'm the only one who thinks Medaka and King would make a great couple. I guess I'll play devil's advocate and root for those two to pair up. Quite frankly I'm tired of Zen.

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by DJ Trouble

Lulz, did you even read the chapter? "There's no way in hell I want to meet him alone." To write that off as a habit of having a pet around is too biased.

Lulz you are way too biased yourself. I view it more between the lines 'I take this pathetic trash with me because I need my good luck ass-kissing charm' rather than having anything to do with emotions.

It would be emotional support if he were a being to whom Medaka could connect emotionally with him, yet it seems like he is nothing but a pathetic human pet.

[Wrath88]

I recall Zen ever saying something about how he wants to protect Medaka... makes me wonder if its because of something her brother did to her before?

[Arturro]

Originally Posted by War_Lord

Somehow I feel like I'm the only one who thinks Medaka and King would make a great couple. I guess I'll play devil's advocate and root for those two to pair up. Quite frankly I'm tired of Zen.

It's hard to root for 2 characters I dislike, one a Mary Sue second a bishojo jerk. On the other hand, you're right those two characters fits to each other.

BTW KLGChaos comment, that this chapter was better than he expected intrigued me enought to read it. Sadly, in MB case chapter "better than expected" doesn't equal "worth reading". I'm going back to my corner to sulk why so good oneshoot turned into so bad serialisation...

[golthin]

what I would like to see is Zen to "break up" with Medaka and quit the student council. I want to see if she would miss him. That is all want to see in this manga.

[LeaD36]

Why does medaka suddenly care about being kissed? She´s supposed to kiss ANYBODY lawlz

Btw the data on him says he´s a dropout, Prolly some Mega-delinquent? "Because of my overflowing love for my little sister i already know what you want from me, lawl?"

Hope Zen´s gonna step up and pull a Goku there

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by LeaD36

Why does medaka suddenly care about being kissed? She´s supposed to kiss ANYBODY lawlz

Well because its the first time she is on a receiving end. But you are right - it should not be a big deal either way, as she kissed more different people than many did during their whole lives, unless she likes the dude.

Originally Posted by golthin

what I would like to see is Zen to "break up" with Medaka and quit the student council. I want to see if she would miss him. That is all want to see in this manga.

Impossible. For this Zen would need to posses something that he is lacking since his birth - balls. The best that he can do is to train to become a little bit stronger dog to keep others guys away as he continues to kiss Medaka's ass during the rest of his spineless life.

[War_Lord]

Originally Posted by Darknemo2000

Impossible. For this Zen would need to posses something that he is lacking since his birth - balls. The best that he can do is to train to become a little bit stronger dog to keep others guys away as he continues to kiss Medaka's ass during the rest of his spineless life.

Agreed, the guy is way too whipped to do anything that bold. He's stuck by her side for years now and seeing as that little incident with king didn't phaze him much, I don't see what could possibly cause him to want to seperate from her. I guess he is satisfied with having some kind of relationship with her, regardless of how degrading it is. I don't know what it is she did to make him have such a strong, unconditional attatchment towards her, but she has him completely under her spell. Anyways, I'm through waiting for Zen to impress me. At this point, he's just another krillin.

[Napoleon's Hat]

Originally Posted by Kafriel

I'd say she was just taken by surprise, as was Zenkichi...he said it himself, if he could move, then so could she....but wait, does that mean that the king is actually super-weak?
Anyway, dear brother seems to be an ex-13, maybe he can throw some sense in the whole story.

That would be my guess, too. I don't think he's weak, and I don't think Medaka was helpless either, she was just curious as to what it was like to receive a kiss instead of give one. Medaka seemed pleased to meet someone who could present more of a challenge to her, maybe she'll just put him in his place and make him vice president.

[golthin]

Originally Posted by War_Lord

Agreed, the guy is way too whipped to do anything that bold. He's stuck by her side for years now and seeing as that little incident with king didn't phaze him much, I don't see what could possibly cause him to want to seperate from her. I guess he is satisfied with having some kind of relationship with her, regardless of how degrading it is. I don't know what it is she did to make him have such a strong, unconditional attatchment towards her, but she has him completely under her spell. Anyways, I'm through waiting for Zen to impress me. At this point, he's just another krillin.

could it be this one of the reasons the manga is not popular? Zen doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities. The boys can't find a way to identify themself with Zen. This new guy might be the author trying to bring a partner for her as it is impossible for Zen to make a come back.

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by golthin

could it be this one of the reasons the manga is not popular? Zen doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities. The boys can't find a way to identify themself with Zen. This new guy might be the author trying to bring a partner for her as it is impossible for Zen to make a come back.

Actually, there's quite a few ways for Zen to get back into everyone's good graces. The question is whether or not the author wishes to do it. All it would take is Zen leveling up a bit and walking BESIDE Medaka and not behind her, like he has his whole life, putting the focus back on him in the process.

[Mizuno]

I didn't know Gilgamesh would make an appearance in this manga.

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by golthin

could it be this one of the reasons the manga is not popular? Zen doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities. The boys can't find a way to identify themself with Zen. This new guy might be the author trying to bring a partner for her as it is impossible for Zen to make a come back.

Well in a way he can be identified with as a lot people can be rather weak and pathetic, but this one is taking it to the extreme. Even Shinji Ikari blew off from time to time, while Zen just takes it all, wiggling his tail just like a good puppy.

I do like weak characters, but realistically weak. Even for my taste they make Zen way too pathetic at this moment.

And even if he gets physically stronger after assuming training he will get, he needs to do more than that to make himself look less pathetic. He has to break away from Medaka, to break the psychological dependence, but as I stated before - I do not think he has balls for that.

[Iron21]

I'm really hoping that he'll have the balls in the near future to leave Medaka side for awhile.

[War_Lord]

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

Actually, there's quite a few ways for Zen to get back into everyone's good graces. The question is whether or not the author wishes to do it. All it would take is Zen leveling up a bit and walking BESIDE Medaka and not behind her, like he has his whole life, putting the focus back on him in the process.

I think he meant ways to redeem himself that are believable or acceptable. Of course, how far you can take believable in a fiction manga relies on the laws of physics that govern the particular story's universe. In Medaka box's case, I think it can be debatable. Right now I can't find a believable or acceptable method that Zen can use to "level up" and win back my original respect for him. The ideas I'm considering lean towards what is known as super hax.

[Johnny]

Well since Zen does have the AB blood as all the freaks have, it's not that unbelievable that he could power-up. Maybe he will fall into a vat of some unknown liquid that makes him Medaka-like. Since were still in the dark as what it takes to develop the 13 freak's power it's a crap shoot. Maybe the brother will shed some light on that subject...