(L) UQ Holder (Ken Akamatsu's new series)

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Endscape

I think a lot of the dislike for him comes from the fact that he's not Negi. I've seen it before in other fandoms, whenever you have a sequel with a new MC, there's always some backlash..

ah nope.

i don't like him because he is too typical of the brainless shounan MC.

[sakai-san]

Did anyone find the two year time that Jinbei thrown down into the dungeon and Touta's parents death a coincidence along with the sake Jinbei drank being the reason he got thrown down there?

[Eisdrache]

I dislike Touta because I can't stand the "hey I just met you a second ago but let's be best friends" type.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Eisdrache

I dislike Touta because I can't stand the "hey I just met you a second ago but let's be best friends" type.

Fair enough, he is kinda pushy, but it's not such a huge flaw. He isn't putting a gun to anyone's head and forcing them after all.

From what I've seen, he seems to want to make friends so he doesn't end up like Kuromaru, full of self-loathing for being an immortal. It's better than angsting about it, at any rate.

[Hata]

you guys do know that Ken said he created Tota from a mix of Kotaro and Nagi?

[Breimoon]

we need an all-hating MC for a change. Like grumpy cat!!

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Hata

you guys do know that Ken said he created Tota from a mix of Kotaro and Nagi?

I didn't know that, but it makes perfect sense, he was raised by Eva, after all.

[bludvein]

Originally Posted by Hata

you guys do know that Ken said he created Tota from a mix of Kotaro and Nagi?

Thats funny, because I actually like Kotaro and Nagi, and I don't really care one way or another about Touta.

Maybe its just because he is the protagonist. I tend to have bigger expectations for those, and so far Touta has been a completely typical idiot hero. He has nothing distinguishing except his immortality, which he treats as just another reason to act like an idiot.

[silvercover]

so anyways, going to the topic of the konoka girl...
if we assume there is indeed a connection and this is not just a recycled design, then wouldnt you wonder which "demon" could have gotten with konoka

[Breimoon]

well , it could have happened with konoka daughter/son instead of konoka herself

[AstroNerdBoy]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Touta's isn't really that bad.

I think a lot of the dislike for him comes from the fact that he's not Negi. I've seen it before in other fandoms, whenever you have a sequel with a new MC, there's always some backlash.

The fact that Akamatsu is going out of his way to make Touta the exact opposite of Negi probably excarbates the matter.

While I do suspect that Akamatsu-sensei is getting Touta to the OP status as quickly as possible to then explore immortality at Negi's power level in lieu of Negi, for me, Touta not being Negi isn't the issue.

I don't like Touta's character type. As someone pointed out to me, he's the male version of the Mary Sue trope. He effortlessly powers up in an insanely short period of time to dizzying heights, but there's nothing to indicate why he can do this, nor is there an element to make me want to know how he can do this. He is oblivious to everything but himself, so by George, if he says he's going to be friends with someone, then that's the end of it. He's a loudmouth braggart punk who desperately needs to be taught a painful lesson, but so far, he doesn't learn anything because he's immortal and he's had to pay no real price for his blind stupidity.

Originally Posted by sakai-san

Did anyone find the two year time that Jinbei thrown down into the dungeon and Touta's parents death a coincidence along with the sake Jinbei drank being the reason he got thrown down there?

I didn't think about that. It probably is just coincidental, with Eva agreeing to be Touta's guardian shortly after that event.

Originally Posted by Endscape

Fair enough, he is kinda pushy, but it's not such a huge flaw. He isn't putting a gun to anyone's head and forcing them after all.

From what I've seen, he seems to want to make friends so he doesn't end up like Kuromaru, full of self-loathing for being an immortal. It's better than angsting about it, at any rate.

He may not put a gun to one's head, but he's the type that would keep bothering you until kingdom come. Since there's no way to get through his thick skull...

Still, you do have a slight point on the angst thing.

Originally Posted by Hata

you guys do know that Ken said he created Tota from a mix of Kotaro and Nagi?

I was unaware of that. Neither Kotaro nor Nagi irritated me though. Granted, we didn't see enough of Nagi for me to make a good judgement call, but Kotaro came off as a real character. Touta does not.

Originally Posted by bludvein

Maybe its just because he is the protagonist. I tend to have bigger expectations for those, and so far Touta has been a completely typical idiot hero. He has nothing distinguishing except his immortality, which he treats as just another reason to act like an idiot.

I agree there. ^_^ The fact that he's immortal is what makes things so much worse.

Originally Posted by silvercover

so anyways, going to the topic of the konoka girl...
if we assume there is indeed a connection and this is not just a recycled design, then wouldnt you wonder which "demon" could have gotten with konoka

That would be Negi.

I'm not sure he was ever referred to as a "youkai" or not, which is what those regular UQH members are (though I guess there could be mazoku in there too, like Zazie or Mana).

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by Endscape

I didn't know that, but it makes perfect sense, he was raised by Eva, after all.

Basically taking after Misa's Reverse Hikaru Genji plan?

Though Eva is shipping Touta with Karin.

[Sian]

Eva ships what provokes the most extreme reaction

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by AstroNerdBoy

I don't like Touta's character type. As someone pointed out to me, he's the male version of the Mary Sue trope. He effortlessly powers up in an insanely short period of time to dizzying heights, but there's nothing to indicate why he can do this, nor is there an element to make me want to know how he can do this.

I wonder how people have gotten to that conclusion. The plot or characters hardly revolve around him. He's talented at fighting, but then that's a prerequiste for a MC in a combat oriented manga. It's hardly as if he got good all at once, he's apparently been training the basics for 2 years under Eva's tutelage.

As for reasons, it's a bit fresh to see a shounen MC who doesn't have some super long range goal, at least right from the start of the manga.

He may not put a gun to one's head, but he's the type that would keep bothering you until kingdom come. Since there's no way to get through his thick skull...

What are you basing this on again, the only person we've really seen him be pushy with is Kuromaru, and to be frank, becoming Touta's friend is better for him than whatever Eva would have done.

I was unaware of that. Neither Kotaro nor Nagi irritated me though. Granted, we didn't see enough of Nagi for me to make a good judgement call, but Kotaro came off as a real character. Touta does not.

Kotaro had some issues that made for good character development that we haven't seen from Touta yet, but that carefree common sense does remind of Kotaro. I see shades of Nagi in there as well, and he's also reminds me of a less belligerent Asuna.

[silvercover]

Originally Posted by AstroNerdBoy

That would be Negi.

I'm not sure he was ever referred to as a "youkai" or not, which is what those regular UQH members are (though I guess there could be mazoku in there too, like Zazie or Mana).

actually I was thinking more of someone closer and had it "inherent" rather than gained...

[AstroNerdBoy]

Originally Posted by Endscape

I wonder how people have gotten to that conclusion. The plot or characters hardly revolve around him.

I would beg to disagree, seeing as how he's been in every chapter to date. Eva dropped out and Kuroumaru was a later addition.

He's talented at fighting, but then that's a prerequiste for a MC in a combat oriented manga. It's hardly as if he got good all at once, he's apparently been training the basics for 2 years under Eva's tutelage.

Ah, but going back to that first chapter, Touta had some kills to be sure and his training with Eva explained that. He did not have the ability to cause massive impact craters with his fists; he couldn't race up the side of a cliff, or anywhere else; he wasn't able to lift insane amounts of weight as if it were air; he couldn't use ki (chi); and on and on.

A small percentage in his power growth can be attributed to him becoming a vampire. The rest is just out of the blue.

I've got no problem with rapid power growth, providing there's a reason behind it. Being a dillard is not a reason for it. ^_^;

As for reasons, it's a bit fresh to see a shounen MC who doesn't have some super long range goal, at least right from the start of the manga.

If Touta never had a goal but was just along for the ride, I'd be cool with that. The reason behind his power-up doesn't have to be like Negi's, which was goal oriented. There could be a whole host of other reasons, even if they are only hinted at. We've received none of that.

What are you basing this on again, the only person we've really seen him be pushy with is Kuromaru, and to be frank, becoming Touta's friend is better for him than whatever Eva would have done.

We've seen him be pushy twice with UQ Holder in general. Being a friend to someone is more than, "I'm going to be your friend and I'm not going to let up until you are, even if I have to force you to sign a contract to be my friend, 'cause you're going to be my friend, 'cause that's what I've decided, and once I've decided something, no power in the 'verse can change my mind 'cause I'm the greatest thing in the universe since the universe began, so only a loser wouldn't want to be my friend, so you will be my friend 'cause I don't make friends with losers..."

[OverMaster]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Read the manga. He was using ki for quite a while before the series. Plus he's been training with Eva along the way too.

All that really means is he's stupidly broken before the plot even starts.

I think a lot of the dislike for him comes from the fact that he's not Negi. I've seen it before in other fandoms, whenever you have a sequel with a new MC, there's always some backlash..

This sounds like kind of an umbrella 'security blanket' statement. New MCs can get accepted by the majority as long as they're good characters in their own rights. Terry Mc Ginnis will never be as big as Bruce Wayne, but he's still fairly well liked and beloved. Nanoha overly surpassed her brother, the protagonist of the series she spun off from. Even an icon like Popeye started as a secondary character in someone else's comics series.

[SoloPanda]

I think it would be interesting if Kuroumaru's clan are the ones who killed Touta's parents. At least one of them was the child of an immortal monster Negi.

It would be nice if someone would make a character discussion thread so people could bag on the MC in there and we could talk about the manga here. Tbh this is the same thing that happened at the beginning of Negima, a whole bunch of people talking about how bad it is until the story got going and they either left because it wasn't what they thought it would be or grew to like it.

BTW if I'm not mistaken this is the first time I've seen Touta's fangs... when he comes out of the well.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by OverMaster

All that really means is he's stupidly broken before the plot even starts.

Being able to use ki makes you broken?

This sounds like kind of an umbrella 'security blanket' statement. New MCs can get accepted by the majority as long as they're good characters in their own rights. Terry Mc Ginnis will never be as big as Bruce Wayne, but he's still fairly well liked and beloved.

There are folk out there that hate Terry, you know.

Nanoha overly surpassed her brother, the protagonist of the series she spun off from.

Who on Earth remembers Triangle Hearts anyway? Nanoha is far more popular than it ever was. It's funny that you bring up NAnoha, since the MC of Nanoha Force got a ton of flack from certain folks, particularly the folks fromNanoFate, because he was male.

Even an icon like Popeye started as a secondary character in someone else's comics series.

Again, who even remembers that?

[SoloPanda]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Being able to use ki makes you broken?



There are folk out there that hate Terry, you know.



Who on Earth remembers Triangle Hearts anyway? Nanoha is far more popular than it ever was. It's funny that you bring up NAnoha, since the MC of Nanoha Force got a ton of flack from certain folks, particularly the folks fromNanoFate, because he was male.



Again, who even remembers that?

I honestly think Touta was around were Negi was at the beginning of Negima, as far as strength goes when they threw him in the hole. He probably went quite a bit higher than that on his way out like I'd say leaving for the magical world Negi around 1000 cats. This is figuring that he's drawing on the strength of a vampire to boost his states. We also don't know what his status was before becoming a vampire. He could have already been a partial immortal from his genes. Also we have no idea where this story is going at this point and probably wont get any hints for another 40 chapters or so. They could end up fighting Gods and Jack Rakkan... One thing to be sure of is that Touta has been training under Eva for 2 years, Negi trained under her for less than 9 months and turned into an immortal monster evil mage. Touta is older and more developed than Negi so his strength really doesn't surprise me at all.

As far as triangle hearts goes I remember it, it was pretty cool with martial arts and such. I'm also one of those that likes force though so I'm probably in the minority.