Mahouka [LN/M] - Character Speculation/Theories: Tatsuya

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

I don't like Tatsuya and how the story tries to place him in. There's his overpowered skillset, his status as one of the most powerful mages around, and the fact that he is still flawed even at his current state. Not to mention that his fights weren't really risky (his supposed secrets not included) or not totally decisive.

The Shiva connection also feels contrived in a world where magic is handled using the approaches of science.

Contrived? What's not to get? He's a deconstructed god in a world where magic has been deconstructed into science. I say he's the perfect main character for this type of setting. All the Shiva connection does is show that the reason the story is as it is, the reason Tatsuya HAD to be written the way he is with his overwhelming powers, is because Mahouka is partially a recreation of the Shiva legend in a magitek world.

And really, there's no better god to use for basis for a story like Mahouka than Shiva. A god who would do anything for the one being that matters to him, a god that reveals truth and destroys the corrupted old to make way for the new, a god that scientists would love because he is the perfect methaphor for the universe itself and symbolizes our ultimate destiny, and a god who represents everything outside the system whose actions and very nature is unorthodox. Shiva is God and Devil in one form. He is "irregular" and that is why the character he inspired is the "Irregular at Magic Highschool".

[Marcus H.]

I don't quite understand the reasons behind writing a character based on a fricking GOD.
Was it really a different way of telling a story of "what if Shiva descended on Earth?" or the author banking on and hoping to make an income out of the absence of this type of MC?

[IceHism]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

or the author banking on and hoping to make an income out of the absence of this type of MC?

Mahouka started as a free webnovel on the internet and it got really popular. I don't think he had any thing about money in his mind until Dengeki Bunko decided to publish it. Even then, i think he is an office worker to begin with.

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

I don't quite understand the reasons behind writing a character based on a fricking GOD.
Was it really a different way of telling a story of "what if Shiva descended on Earth?" or the author banking on and hoping to make an income out of the absence of this type of MC?

Because it's interesting? Writers get inspiration from mythology all the time. Really, you don't need a deep reason to do it. Shiva is an interesting god and having "Shiba-kun" be our main character makes for an interesting story.

[Marcus H.]

Writers get inspiration from mythology all the time.

I know, but those authors actually know how to gauge their desired character's power instead of giving a minmaxed lineup of skills on a single character.

Oh, and "interest" is an objective term. Right now, as someone who had encountered several characters based on gods, Tatsuya is someone that I find distasteful. I feel that the author is unable to give this gentleman a true fight.

[Echizen777]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

I don't like Tatsuya and how the story tries to place him in. There's his overpowered skillset, his status as one of the most powerful mages around, and the fact that he is still flawed even at his current state. Not to mention that his fights weren't really risky (his supposed secrets not included) or not totally decisive.

The Shiva connection also feels contrived in a world where magic is handled using the approaches of science.

Tatsuya isn't the only overpowered character and he tends to be overrated by his fans. Of course if he faces characters who are not of this level he would wreck them. I have certainly mentioned it before but Miyuki is overpowered too, it's just that the story is more focused on Tatsuya. His flaw is actually the reason why he is overpowered, it's not as if anyone can be perfect in all areas of magic. Tatsuya had risky fights(fights where is life is threatened) in the Visitor arc. He got a difficult fight in Monolith but that's just a game. It's not even as if people were reading the series just for him.

I can see the Shiva connection but I think Lucarion is reading too much in it. Still, I don't see why it is bad to base a character on another fictional one. Everybody do this, there is a little connection between Miyuki and Shakti too.

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

I know, but those authors actually know how to gauge their desired character's power instead of giving a minmaxed lineup of skills on a single character.

Oh, and "interest" is an objective term. Right now, as someone who had encountered several characters based on gods, Tatsuya is someone that I find distasteful. I feel that the author is unable to give this gentleman a true fight.

Because Shiva had all those skills! Decomposition, Regrowth, Elemental Sight--Shiva has them. Shiva is the freaking Mahadev--God of Gods--the Supreme Being, it wouldn't make sense for a character based on him not to be incredibly powerful. Also, I meant "interesting" as peculiar or quirky or novel. It's just interesting to imagine Shiva as a Japanese highschool student and imagine his wife turned into his younger sister who adores him so.

And then there's the politics. It's the politics that often get to Tatsuya and the reason why a being like him, a virtual god of death and war, can be controlled by weaker beings.

(Also, as far as I know the only one to have been able to beat Shiva in a fight was his own son. Make of that what you will.)

[Marcus H.]

His flaw is actually the reason why he is overpowered, it's not as if anyone can be perfect in all areas of magic.

Too bad that Tatsuya's an anti-mage and he can make shit out of anyone's decent magic.

Tatsuya had risky fights(fights where is life is threatened) in the Visitor arc. He got a difficult fight in Monolith but that's just a game. It's not even as if people were reading the series just for him.

You cannot remove Tatsuya from the story even though you don't like him because the story revolves around him and his greatness. Good for you if you can actually isolate Tatsuya from the story. That's why it's so frustrating that there's this interesting world and Tatsuya just had to exist as the main character for this world.

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Too bad that Tatsuya's an anti-mage and he can make shit out of anyone's decent magic.



You cannot remove Tatsuya from the story even though you don't like him because the story revolves around him and his greatness. Good for you if you can actually isolate Tatsuya from the story. That's why it's so frustrating that there's this interesting world and Tatsuya just had to exist as the main character for this world.

All Echizen is trying to say is that Tatsuya's not the only character people read the story for. Heck, I came here for Miyuki, and before the Shiva/Shiba connection started becoming more apparent and I went totally bonkers, I was just happy to see an onii-chan character actually deserve the love his imouto gives him. That was Tatsuya's primary appeal for me when I first saw him. Not his powers.

[Echizen777]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Too bad that Tatsuya's an anti-mage and he can make shit out of anyone's decent magic.



You cannot remove Tatsuya from the story even though you don't like him because the story revolves around him and his greatness. Good for you if you can actually isolate Tatsuya from the story. That's why it's so frustrating that there's this interesting world and Tatsuya just had to exist as the main character for this world.

He IS the MC. I am not saying that he can be removed, I can't do this and he is my favorite character BTW. Just that he is not the only selling point and people can hate him and still like the series, there are many likable characters. Other great things about Mahouka are the world building and the complex and interesting magic system. Counter Magic has limitations, he can't nullify everything and he is not even the only one using Counter Magic.

[Marcus H.]

Just that he is not the only selling point and people can hate him and still like the series, there are many likable characters. Other great things about Mahouka are the world building and the complex and interesting magic system.

But then again, one character is all it takes to break down one's faith in a series. (Kirino in Oreimo, for example)

[kusabireika]

Originally Posted by Lucarion

All Echizen is trying to say is that Tatsuya's not the only character people read the story for. Heck, I came here for Miyuki, and before the Shiva/Shiba connection started becoming more apparent and I went totally bonkers, I was just happy to see an onii-chan character actually deserve the love his imouto gives him. That was Tatsuya's primary appeal for me when I first saw him. Not his powers.

For me at first it was miyuki, erika and leo

Now why I'm currently reading it because I like Azusa character

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

You cannot remove Tatsuya from the story even though you don't like him because the story revolves around him and his greatness. Good for you if you can actually isolate Tatsuya from the story. That's why it's so frustrating that there's this interesting world and Tatsuya just had to exist as the main character for this world.

Read what I said above, it states all my reasons why Tatsuya is the perfect MC for a story about the dawning of a new era.

And I think I'm going to take your words as you just not liking absurdly powerful characters? Well its better than someone who's artificially weak. And it was through Tatsuya's efforts that he's so powerful. He made himself that way because he wants to able to protect Miyuki from anything. Explaining his level of power and he's hell bent on making sure he remains the most powerful because he's terrified of another Okinawa incident. See? Even if he is OP, it's not unbelievable because the story shows why that is so. And it's not like there's anything wrong with a character being powerful. Characters like this have their merits too.

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

But then again, one character is all it takes to break down one's faith in a series. (Kirino in Oreimo, for example)

I liked Kirino...

[Marcus H.]

Well its better than someone who's artificially weak. And it was through Tatsuya's efforts that he's so powerful.

Uh, have you forgotten how much his head was tinkered with? Aside from the skills he got from his mentors, a lot of his abilities were a product of human experimentation. Those abilities don't naturally exist in Tatsuya. By extension, his other abilities were only possible because he was artificially made into what he is right now.

I liked Kirino...

I stopped liking Kirino as soon as the home stretch began. Personally, I thought that the story would develop into "two siblings finally getting along after a long time of ignoring each other's presence", but nope, it just had to go to the romance route.

[kusabireika]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Uh, have you forgotten how much his head was tinkered with? Aside from the skills he got from his mentors, a lot of his abilities were a product of human experimentation. Those abilities don't naturally exist in Tatsuya. By extension, his other abilities were only possible because he was artificially made into what he is right now.

Uhm you forgotten something those spell inputted on his brain are lvl lower than the normal magician/his sister that why yotsuba clan called him fail artificial magician

The only one that improve his brain on how weave magic and make op strategy beside his 2 op magic, one is restricted and other one is healing with a cost of pain to the caster "if used to living organism"

The only op I see is his ability to adapt in any situation if I'm correct?

[Lucarion]

Originally Posted by Marcus H.

Uh, have you forgotten how much his head was tinkered with? Aside from the skills he got from his mentors, a lot of his abilities were a product of human experimentation. Those abilities don't naturally exist in Tatsuya. By extension, his other abilities were only possible because he was artificially made into what he is right now.

The only skills he got from that are his poor magic, Flash Cast, and his ability to focus in the name of a single goal. His strength is his own, his intelligence is his own, his inborn abilities are his own and made dangerous because Tatsuya had the mind to make good use of it and turned himself into a military nightmare.

[Marcus H.]

Uhm you forgotten something those spell inputted on his brain are lvl lower than the normal magician/his sister that why yotsuba clan called him fail artificial magician

Regardless, he's still given the duties as Miyuki's bodyguard despite being a "failure".
But then again, most people in the Mahouka universe work by manipulating others. "Keep your friends close and your enemies (threats included) closer," so to say.

The only skills he got from that are his poor magic, Flash Cast, and his ability to focus in the name of a single goal. His strength is his own, his intelligence is his own, his inborn abilities are his own and made dangerous because Tatsuya had the mind to make good use of it and turned himself into a military nightmare.

And you guys refuse to call him a Gary Stu.

[Echizen777]

Kirino is probably the character that I hate the most in fictional world but aside from its really bad ending. Oreimo was very good IMO.

Tatsuya is naturally born with the superpowers Decomposition, Regrowth, Elemental Sight plus the rare skill to use Gram Demolition and Gram Dispersion. He couldn't use any other magics, that's why he is hated in his clan. The artificial magician project gave him the power to use normal magic but it is extremely weak and he can't even use them all, he can compensate sometimes with physical skills but that's about it. As a Yotsuba guardian he got a very hard training in CQC and got motivated to perfectly control his innate magics after Honami's death. There are even scars on his body, he worked very hard to become that strong.
Even the powerful 28 families give birth to gifted magicians only because they have a dark story and used magicians for experiments for the magicians development project.

[kusabireika]

Originally Posted by Lucarion

The only skills he got from that are his poor magic, Flash Cast, and his ability to focus in the name of a single goal. His strength is his own, his intelligence is his own, his inborn abilities are his own and made dangerous because Tatsuya had the mind to make good use of it and turned himself into a military nightmare.

Agreed beside his natural magic is restricted to be used in public by 101 battalion ants yotsuba maya