C3: CubexCursedxCurious [Light Novel]

[clarkken228]

Spoiler for vol 17:

So fear turns back to a cube? That's it?

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by clarkken228

Spoiler for vol 17:

So fear turns back to a cube? That's it?

There's an epilogue.

Not that I've been able to read the whole ending. I just read that last part to see how it ended. So I'd certainly like to see the cliff notes on the ending myself, as I'd like to hear who Harauaki got together with. (if anyone) Because from the eilogue, it would seem that

Spoiler:

Kirkia is living with him?! Or is she just visiting? Given her dialogue, it sounds like the former.

[Estzero1]

I would love that but in which part was that stated? I read over this but haven't found it.

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Estzero1

I would love that but in which part was that stated? I read over this but haven't found it.

I'm talking about the LN translation of the epilogue.

[Estzero1]

Me too. I haven't found the part you mentioned in the spoiler. In which one was it?

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Estzero1

Me too. I haven't found the part you mentioned in the spoiler. In which one was it?

It's nearthe end of the volume 17 epilogue. (the epilogue isn't very long)

[Estzero1]

Then i assume you mean part 6. I dunno. Could be both.

[Shinji103]

Originally Posted by Estzero1

Then i assume you mean part 6. I dunno. Could be both.

No, like I said it's near the end. It's in the section marked "Outro."

[00-Raiser]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Spoiler:

Kirkia is living with him?! Or is she just visiting? Given her dialogue, it sounds like the former.

He told her to come live with them in volume 15.

[Takatathien]

What happened to Aiko at the end? I know she resurrected and helped them, but is she living with the MC, or is she traveling like the Hair Cursed Object.

[Superbia]

Originally Posted by Takatathien

What happened to Aiko at the end? I know she resurrected and helped them, but is she living with the MC, or is she traveling like the Hair Cursed Object.

In the epilogue, it sounded like she was the one who answered the phone when Kuroe called, so she should be staying there as well.

[00-Raiser]

That's right. The "Hweh" is her quirk.

[Kurohane]

Wow, this was pretty good. The story introduced some deep concepts beneath all the harem and fanservice hijinks, and the ending was pretty fitting. Characters... there were memorable ones, those who had no presence and others that were just unlikeable no matter what. It's clear to me that the author is very good in writing dark stories. Harem and comedy, not so much. All the Harem antics were worth nothing in the end. Reading through, I easily thought this shouldn't have been a harem. Fear should have been the protagonist, not Haruaki. The only reason he's even the protagonist is for the harem, making the girls go gaga over him. Every annoying harem cliche is at work, with the girls getting upset at the slightest touch between sexes. The comedy which relies mostly on the harem cliches, likewise is no good.

However, the author did the most important things right. Fear was done extremely well to her personality and her character arc leading to her final resolution. What I actually thought detracted from her character was that she's a part of the harem. It's not just my biased opinion that the protagonist was unworthy of her, but in my view, it limited her character. She's cursed and curious about the world. So many ways this could have been utilized. Instead of just having Fear integrate into the Yachi home, the author could have took it one step farther, and create a larger network of bonds, her being what holds it together. She could have had moments thinking of what she wants to do after her curse is lifted, like she wants to travel the world like Kuroe for example. As cursed, she can feel empathy toward other cursed tools that gained sentience and wants to help them, in cases like Sovereignty and Aiko. Throughout the volumes, she experiences new encounters and develops connections. For example, the Physical Education teacher who was at first cold towards Fear. During the incident of that volume, Fear in her own way tries to get close to her, and the teacher coming to grips with her own trauma, was able to reciprocate those intentions, developing a healthy teacher-student relationship.

One of my biggest problems is that in later volumes this just stops to focus on the harem situation. Suddenly, the main reason Fear wants her curse lifted is because she wants to confirm these feelings she may have for Haruaki, and later, she wants to be with Haruaki forever. I wouldn't be critical of this, if the protagonist, you know, had a personality. However, he's just the generic male lead you find anywhere, played completely straight and a bit of a hypocrite (Oh, I don't like how you risked yourself so dangerously, but it's okay when I do it.). Every other male character in this story has more personality than him, whether it's Pakuaki Yamimagari, the superintendent, the Draconian commander, one half of "those two guys" Taizou, and even the unnamed restaurant worker who Kukuri has a crush on. The only reason Fear likes him is because he's the first person after Honatsu who was nice to her. No surprise, it's the very same reason the other two girls in the harem like him too. Stockholm syndrome at it's finest. The budding relationship between Max and Kuroe is more believable, and it was developed over the last few volumes.

Really, the harem becomes such a priority that with the character relationships between Fear, no other bonds develop or new relationships take place, after Yume. This becomes such a shame for two reason. One is the introduction of Dainsleif, near the final arc. How I feel so much her character was wasted the way she was handled. You have a sentient cursed tool that willingly works for the Knight's Dominion. How is she not worthy of having character depth!? The series doesn't shy away from even antagonists getting properly fleshed out characterization and backstory e.g. Peavey, Alice, Kukuri, Satsuko. Even freaking Himura got a volume about his past and motivations. How!? Why was Dainsleif not one!? She could have served as the perfect foil to Fear. Both bear the act of killing their own kind. They have similar views on cursed tools, but are on opposite viewpoints. While Fear believes it's better to lift one's curse, Sleif believes it's better to destroy cursed tools before they continue to harm humans. These two could have had more meaningful encounters than they did. Fear could have sympathized with Dainsleif by thinking that she could have ended up like her if Honatsu hadn't found her; that Dainself is like her former self, only she's taken the role of the martyr to destroy her own kind and then herself as atonement. In the end, they could have formed a connection after finally understanding one another through difficult hurdles. Ironically, Sleif would also be the only blade cursed tool that Fear can get along with.

Second,

Spoiler for Ending:

the very end would have been even more heartwarming if more people were involved in the miracle that happened. Fear was cursed by thousands of victims; even if the sacred grounds amplified positive feelings, the more people, the more weight it would have gave off. Giving positive feelings towards Fear, there were Haruaki, Honatsu, Kirika, Kuroe, Aiko, Kana and Taizou for sure. We can even add the superintendents' faction, Sovereignty, Isuzu, and Un Izoey. That's 13 people for certain when it took thousands of curses to give Fear sentience. That's putting a lot on the sacred grounds who's effects have been noted to be slow acting. For many reasons, I feel the author should have focused more on having Fear meet a variety of more people, learning from them, and becoming a part of their lives no matter how small. That would have been less of a chore to read through than all that clout of fanservice and harem antics.

Still, for all the fanservice and harem cliches, I'm glad it did not actually overtake the main story. It served as buffer, but still, the author has also shown he can write deep and intricate plot lines. For an analogy, it's like I'm constantly switching between something sweet and bitter. Why can't he keep things consistent? One moment it's serious, but all of sudden an ecchi moment comes out of nowhere. It's out of place and takes away the tension. Still after trudging through the sand, I finally find the diamond, but it requires patience. The short stories are no exceptions. Most are just silly, try too hard to be funny, and generally are pointless. However, a few do stand out. While saying this, I recall the one when the gang cheers up a little girl dealing with the pain of losing her dad. That is absolutely my favorite of the short stories. There's rarely any shallow humor like in most of the others. The story itself is serious, and gives Fear's character a chance to expand, and shine. With chapters like that, I'm aware that the author can write these kinds of stories really well. I just wish he'd done more, and not limit himself to a particular genre, and what's commonly associated with it.

My top 5 favorite characters in order: (1) Fear (naturally, best girl hands down), (2) Un Izoey (she actually gets more development than the other two heroines), (3) Kuroe (for being the troll and the tease), (4) Dainsleif (how I wish the author did more with this character!), and (5) Kukuri (for sticking it to Abyss in the final moments, and her millimeter distance dodging).

Characters I disliked, just three: Konoha, Shiraho and Chihaya. Is anyone actually supposed to like these characters? Konoha's character is quite standard, the clingy, possessive childhood friend. Her two notable traits are her big "assets" and glasses. So defining that it's lampshaded in story by Fear that Konoha's character is threatened when another character with the same traits appears, such as Alice and Chihaya. Her personality is worse. It's doesn't get better, once you know how she was in the beginning of her stay at the Yachi home. Her love for Haruaki defines her very character from beginning to end. She takes drastic measures to keep him safe in her view. To this end, she completely demoralizes Fear after the first encounter with Peavey. In the final arc, Konoha treats her even worse, in the manner of kicking her when she's down, figuratively and literally, after the fight with the Draconian Commander, being a total hypocrite because of the Nurashaaki incident. None of it was to help Fear; it was just to put her down. Shiraho is a lesser case of the same thing, in that it's her love for Sovereignty that defines her. Even after the incident that made it safe for them to be together, she still treats everyone else besides her lover like trash. At times, she even goes out of her way to pull Sovereignty away from talking or having fun with his/her friends. Both are one dimensional characters, and the most unlikeable type too. Chihaya is actual fleshed out a bit. I just dislike her because she becomes Shiraho's fan girl and treats Isuzu like trash.

[Murakami Kai]

After coming back to this for a while, I have to say...

The story was okay.

The characters were okay... Some of them.

The characters I hated were Shiraho and Chihaya. Literally Feminazi's incarnate with no purpose other than to prove how blue pilled Haruaki was. The shit they say to him? Fucking attrocious. They think they'll get impregnated by his presence? Fucking cut their fucking heads off and replace them with a horses head and they'd be the same.

Haruaki pretending like their right? Sounds like every male mangina white knight Feminist that ever existed. These are the kinds of characters that make me feel like Feminists only really exist because the men around them are entirely castrated of any desire to maintain a reputation.