Pastel Discussion

[rooboy]

I didn't see a thread for this - and there's an offtopic discussion in the Suzuka discussion area for it, so I thought I'd create a thread for it. This thread is for all discussion about the series Pastel EXCEPT the following:

Since Pastel is licensed (by Del Ray) the following posts are not allowed

1. Asking where you can find Pastel manga downloads, scans or translations.
2. Linking to Pastel manga downloads, scans or translations.
3. Discussing Pastel scan groups (past or present).
4. These rules applies to the raws as well.

You still are allowed to discuss the manga, that has not changed but please remember to limit the discussion to the story itself.

EDIT: Heh, guess you can tell where I copied the "standard licensed" part from. Heh

EDIT 2: Gah, xris had to point out the last of them that were in the wrong spot.

EDIT 3: *sigh* If I were particularly motivated, I would go ahead and post covers to the manga, but I'm not - if anyone else wants to, feel free.

[Vexx]

I picked up the first few volumes earlier in the summer but haven't gotten past the first volume. In some respects, it appears to be a better read than some of its brethren so far.

[physics223]

NO. DON'T. PLARZ. NO.



Well ... can't they end up together already? Please?

[rooboy]

I don't really understand that line of reasoning. It hasn't actually been going on that long - I know a lot of tanks have been released, but that's because it's a monthly series and individual chapters are very long. It's not even reached chapter 100 yet.

I dunno, I just don't get that line of reasoning. Is there a magic clock that says "This many chapters is okay, that many is bad." Besides - according to your other list, you're probably not going to like the resolution anyway.

[2H-Dragon]

Basicly its Parallel, but dragged out like hell. You love each other so get to togheter, but it was 4 volumes with Parallel so I could take it. Pastel is nice at the start, but it just isn't that fun anymore. Every chapter is basicly same shit diffrent day. =o This manga is more fun then Parallel though, but the main characters should just get togheter so we can get new types of situations. :O

[rooboy]

But why? Why retell Parallel (as you correctly pointed out, the characters are remarkably similar between the two)? Why not just read Parallel? Or one of the, literally, dozens of other series like it? Pastel has not even reached 100 chapters yet. YKK ran for 140 chapters and not much really changed during the series. I'm not trying to compare the two (since YKK is rightly a classic of the slice-of-life genre), but things cannot be paced in a way that will please everyone. I felt like Parallel was rushed in too many places, the opportunity to see the same story slowed down is perfect for me (and I'm sure there's other people like me out there). Since Parallel is already out there, why not just read that rather than complain about Pastel?
This isn't really specific to Pastel, particularly (at least, it wasn't intended to be when I first responded to physics about it in the Suzuka thread). I just see this sentiment a lot and it always frustrates me. The point of this series isn't to hit this plot point, and then run over here and hit this plot point and then go back and tie up this subplot. It's slice-of-life. You could rearrange 90% of the chapters and it would make no material difference to the story. If you don't like that, that's not a failure of the series. Rather than trying to change the series to be what you want it to be, isn't it easier to just find one that's more like what you want?
My real original point, I guess, was there's little point in denigrating something that you don't agree with. It's one thing to complain about how plot point xyz doesn't match up with revealed character motivation 123 from chapter xxx, but it seems silly to me to complain because the story isn't moving at the pace you think it should move at. If that's the case, stop reading it.
This was the original comment I was responding to:

Originally Posted by physics223: NOTE HE WAS REFERRING TO SUZUKA

NO U
I do agree. How low can this manga go while still ensnaring its readers!?!
(PASTEL. UGH. NO.)

And I still don't see the point of it. I'm pretty sure there's no one holding a gun to your head and making you read the story (at least I hope not, if there is send me a pm and we'll try to get the police to help you out. ). All manga is blatant commercialism, you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. Pastel is no more so than, say, Honey and Clover or Emma or Mahoraba or NHK ni Youkoso.

[physics223]

It's not my fault you get frustrated with my sentiments, but I'm not alone in this.

It has already ensnared one - with the hope that somehow they'll tie it up and that they'll end up together - one keeps on reading. Heck, I just want it to end - but I'll keep on since I've already started.

*whistles*

[rooboy]

Actually I don't really mind your sentiments one way or the other - they're yours after all. I would never imply that you're not allowed the right to an opinion. It's not like you're advocating drowning puppies or clubbing baby seals or anything.

I just don't see the point in throwing in a one-liner badmouthing it in a thread where it's off-topic. Which is why I created this thread, so you can talk about it all you want.

Actually after I talked to xris about moving the off-topic posts to this thread I found out there's already a thread for this manga - it just doesn't mention Pastel in the title. I asked to see if this could be merged there - so it may get moved at some point.

EDIT: changed stuff around a bit - didn't mean it to come out sounding like an ass (which it did).

[physics223]

I ADVOCATE DROWNING PUPPIES. NOW YOU MUST DIE. lol

I didn't think the post was off-topic, however, because -

(1) I was talking about the Suzuka manga.
(2) That was an aside comparing the manga to Pastel - thus the use of parentheses.

Take it as you want, however ^_^

[2H-Dragon]

Rooboy666. You seemed to miss the point Honey & Clover still is fun with the comedy and drama. It doesnt repeat it self the characters have delopment and move on. While Pastel keeps stuck at one point. Emma has a nice feel and it isnt 14+ volumes so you can take it and they have good reasons not ending up toghter and having trials. While Pastel has what reason? He's afraid that she will lose her place to stay. Mahoraba has good jokes and is funny while Pastel is medicore on the comedy part. NHK is funny like no tommarow and the drama is also wow-a. :O

I compared Parallel to Pastel, because they are basicly the same on lots of points. Same situations, same type of humor and the same artwork. I already read Parallel. I heard it was similar to Pastel, but I thought if it's 14+ you can actually see something after they end up togheter, but reading up to volume 12 and they still arent togheter. Then I think its kinda pointless. I think I will pick up again if they end up toghter and there is some story after.

[Vexx]

I simply happened to pick Pastel up first (having not heard of Parallel) on the basis of someone's recommendation as being better than some others of this genre.

I do consider Honey &Clover a better done story (so far) because the characters seriously grow and change during the course of the story (wow, almost like real literature) ... Mahoraba also fits that bill -- the characters evolve and there's no turning back, no resets, no "cyclic" situation. Ai Yori Aoshi starts out very strongly written and then kind of loses energy and sputters off in the last few volumes though it does conclude.

I'm trying to read Kare Kano .... dunno how that evolves yet (no, don't tell me).
Pastel seems to be nicely drawn, clearly a wish-fantasy of sorts but (like many of these) the attempt to avoid a story conclusion gets pretty torturous.

[rooboy]

Drowning puppies is just wrong.

Originally Posted by 2H-Dragon

Rooboy666. You seemed to miss the point Honey & Clover still is fun with the comedy and drama. It doesnt repeat it self the characters have delopment and move on. While Pastel keeps stuck at one point. Emma has a nice feel and it isnt 14+ volumes so you can take it and they have good reasons not ending up toghter and having trials. While Pastel has what reason? He's afraid that she will lose her place to stay. Mahoraba has good jokes and is funny while Pastel is medicore on the comedy part. NHK is funny like no tommarow and the drama is also wow-a. :O

Actually I didn't miss your point - I just wasn't really responding to it one way or the other. I don't disagree that Pastel fails at establishing an overall plot that goes anywhere - I disagree that a piece of fiction so strongly based on slice of life should be judged in that way. As a different example, nothing in Mushishi ties to anything else. There's no overall story, Ginko undergoes little to no growth over the course of the show. When comparing Mushishi to (say) Honey and Clover on a plot basis it will (of course) fail. The point of Mushishi is not the overall plot. A better comparison to Pastel would be Ah My Goddess. In AMG there is a tiny amount of overall plot that ties each individual bit together, but it's still essentially slice-of-life, the overall plot hasn't really advanced much since the second or third volume. Azumanga Daioh is another (supposedly so is ARIA, but I haven't seen that yet) series like this - no character growth, only minimal plot points are carried over from one episode to the next.

I guess what I'm really saying is: Yes, it fails on a plot basis. It's slice of life, pretty much all slice of life fails on a plot basis. It's fine not to like it (it's probably normal, actually ), but it seems silly to me to judge it based on standards it doesn't really seem to be trying to achieve. From another perspective, Mahoraba has very unrealistic art, but that's not really much of a valid criticism of the series - it's not trying to have realistic art.

[physics223]

OT: I advocate drowning puppies for a reason. I had been bitten by a rabid dog when I was young (no joke) so I seem to have this sincere hatred and want to decimate the whole existence of dogs everywhere.

[rooboy]

Originally Posted by physics223

OT: I advocate drowning puppies for a reason. I had been bitten by a rabid dog when I was young (no joke) so I seem to have this sincere hatred and want to decimate the whole existence of dogs everywhere.

No joke? I was actually bitten by a dog when I was young as well (I was eight at the time). I have no idea if he was rabid because he was never caught so I just had to get the freakin' shot.

I would probably not be that fond of dogs either then ... except I've always owned some, so I guess the good experiences outweigh the one bad one.

EDIT: If you ever come visit, please don't try to drown my dogs though - it's hard enough to get them to stop drinking out of the toilet.

[Firestorm10]

Main guy is still a spineless chump. Need more characters like Hachibe Maeda in Love&Collage. Too bad that manga reminds me too much of Love Hina.

[retracnosna]

just about every romance lead is a spineless chump or chumpess. This guy at least has an excuse (that she's stuck living with him since her pops died, and it'd be pretty low if he started hitting on her)

is love collage the one where the guy just loves certain parts? like one girl's eyes, and anothers legs, etc.

[Umaibo]

I just read Chapter 80. The miracle actually happened. =O

So, I would assume the series is ending? I should say, finally!

[aikming]

V15 comprises 81-84, plus it's a monthly manga. Wont end that soon.

[Umaibo]

By soon, I meant it may end within 5 volumes as opposed to another 10-- which, had chapter 80 not happen, another 10 volumes is possible. And yes, I am aware of the author's storytelling style, he likes to lag things out.

[LCeh]

Originally Posted by aikming

V15 comprises 81-84, plus it's a monthly manga. Wont end that soon.

Wow, I did not notice there was volume 15 at all. I thought 14 was the ending cause it seemed like everything was resolved, but I am glad to know that that wasn't the end. I will give more thoughts after I finish vol 15.