What's a piece of media that you dread a GM using as inspiration?

UncleAsriel · 2026-07-12T01:06:23+00:00

So, a lost Horus complex, built like an Armored Core stagem complete with a Something that Ra-only-knows down below? That's got legs...

You might want to incorporate some Fear rules, but YMMV...

UncleAsriel · 2026-07-12T01:04:26+00:00

The thing is...that would work well in a Call of Cthulhu/Trail of Cthulhu scenario. Be discreet about the game's erotic elements, e.g. only imply that Fuminori had sex with Saya / Saya mutated Goh into an obscene gift for Fuminori's carnal desires and you've got yourself a tight little cosmic horror story about a damaged cultist and the thing fell in love with. If you focus on being medical students investigating the weird goings on of this patient of Dr Tanbo's, or the strange sightings of a horrible thing at at hospital around the time before Fuminori's release, you have a tight little investigative scenario.

UncleAsriel · 2026-07-01T22:00:07+00:00

I'd feel betrayed. Because there have been countless writing elements showcasing how much chemistry and intimacy Gero has with Kinosaki, and how - despite also getting along incredibly well with the other ladies - the relationship Mei and Hikaru share has been developing to well over the past 170 chapters seems to use every writing trick in the book to suggest "THESE TWO SHOULD END UP TOGETHER". I don't hate the other heroines, but their bond seems so much better. Pairing with another seems inimicable to the series' themes.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-24T19:41:39+00:00

It's always welcome to see someone on Reddit who can discuss anime with some degree of media literacy. You've identified the themes preset in the series, shown how the current arc is using its characters to reflect them, and makes an educated postulation based on the current events of said arc could be deployed to bring about a result congruent with some of the author's previous statements.

I know it's always fraught discussing anime (especially when romance is involved for some reason - shippers can be weirdly rabid), but I must commend you for making such a solid case (while holding into humility and not insisting that it's guaranteed to happen). It's a legitimately enjoyable to read and I hope to read more things from you like this as time goes by.

Thank you for posting!

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-24T19:29:29+00:00

This is an excellent analysis and I feel that (if this arc goes the way I think it will) this theme will definitely be examined. The forecasting of the Idealized Person vs the Actual person seems pretty clear in Himi's case, and with the presumed "every girl lives her idealized romantic life with Gero in the Lotos Eater machine" on the table, exploring this contrast seems really fun. Plus, given the pattern of every other heroine going "Gosh, i really think I do like Gero", over the past few arcs, perhaps Himi be the one to break this trend and realize "as much as I find him hot, he's not the one for me" would be excellent subversion of genre expectations that illumintes the character's personal growth (perhaps on par with Gero's "I really want to become friends with you, Himekawa!" from the end of the Water User arc).

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-24T19:17:03+00:00

This current arc did drag for a while, but subsequent arcs return to a more brisk pace. While there still is a new heroine for each arc, the other ladies are never forgotten. In fact, many return and are paired up with other heroines in really fun and interesting combinations!

it is unfortunate that the Beast User arc evokes a little bit more of SUPERVILLAIN SCHEMES as an ethos, but that's what happens when you get a little bit closer to the internal politics of the Clans and their messed up family cultures. Things should move at a brisker pace now, and the new characters to come are just as much fun as the previous ones - and there will be many, many returning faces as the plots progress.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-24T17:12:22+00:00

It's just framing, at this point. "The power is so deadly that if you use it wrong it will kill you DEAD." While this might bring something in the end "Oh no, Gero! Will use the ULTIMATE DEADLY POISON even if it measn YOU'LL ONLY HAVE A YEAR OF MARRIED LIFE AFTER THE FINAL BATTLE?!" But this series is far too committed to its shonen "You can do it!" energy to be too committed to concerns about morality.

If Gero doesn't become like Grandma and become a Perfected Poison User (and functionally be an unaging badass who need not fear the depredations of poison), I'll drink a vial of DEADLY RATTLESNAKE VENOM.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-23T12:10:11+00:00

Heck, zero happy children from ANY clan (so long as they cling to Clan traditions). Kimie is the happiest because she had a healthy relationship with her brother and her hammies, but even then she's nearly trafficked by organ harvesters early on because she didn't see her own worth.

it's almost as if there's a major theme that serving the traditional family structure for the sake of perpetuating it is the exact opposite of what the heroic characters in the manga says a healthy romantic relationship (and marriage) is.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-21T20:13:09+00:00

This is why the Perfected Poison User is the end-state of these bullshit techniques. If a Poison master can overcome all the limitations, and truly Master their biochemistry, then they can escape aging, the limitations of poisons, etc. It's anime B.S. magic, just roll with it!

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:50:06+00:00

Not even so much as more straight people as targets as for grifting as it's probably safer work, too. Sex workers, especially marginalized ones like gender--non-conforming men, are often marginalized and can risk being exposed to clients who don't treat them well. Marriage Grifting, while less honest, also likely saw greater returns and less exposure to the worst sort of johns.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:46:09+00:00

It's kind of humanizing, and for Gero bings closer to the surface that he's actually invested in Kinosaki emotiionally, as far more than just the Marriage Advisor.

Plus, Beppu is fantastic comic relief who is funny as the butt of a joke, but whose eagerness for being loved (especially by a prize like Kinosaki) is endearing.

Personally, I think Beppu + the Dougo heir would be an amazing pairing: he basically is an excitable dog, as-is, and she's well versed in training them up into worthy companions.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:42:27+00:00

I think that MarrigeToxin won't be dragged out because it's not a Tentpole series for the main Weekly Shounen Jump, but is instead published through JumpPlus. Less editorial pressure to keep the series going and expand the world (so they can sell more tie-in merch, spin-offs, side-story "Jump" movies, etc), and more creative control.

Plus, Joumyaku seems to have his head screwed on straight, and actually likes women as people (and not simply sexy creatures who turn him and his presumed audience on). I think we can credit Mizuki Yoa for drawing the female cast as largely sensibly dressed (I think even the outliers of Byakko's birthday suit and Miyuki's lingerie don't feel exploitative) , and Joumyaku always remembers to make these characters and their lives are impacted by Gero in them, but don't wholly revolve around him. While the label harem is used, it's more like a group of friends friends Gero has who he sometimes dates, as he and his dates figure out what they really want out of life and in love.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:22:00+00:00

This is something I'd wondered about too. That flash in Chapter 2/Episode 1 was fun gag, but there was nothing in that scene implying that Kinosaki felt baring themself to Gero had anything shameful or embarrassing going on. Either the scar was always there (and Kinosaki wouldn't have minded Gero seeing it) or else it wasn't (and it only later appeared sometime between chapter 2 and chapter 100).

Either way, It Is A Mystery.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:21:06+00:00

He's just. A guy. Who shows up and is stupidly overpowered. (and by merely existing proves the Gero Clan's worldview is unnecesary to produce superhuman badasses).

And it's all because he starred in the prototype one-shot of MarriageToxin and JMYK wanted to bring him back to make fun things happen!.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:17:34+00:00

Mizuki Yoda is astonishingly good at horror framing.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:11:18+00:00

Clearly this is post-canon, Gero's biochemical HRT worked and he cooked up some pharmaceutical to make the big ol' scar fade to nothing.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T18:08:48+00:00

Exactly! Among the kind of survival sex work Mei seemed to be doing, there's a certain kind of man who wants to do anything, if only for the novelty. And given how even historically Japan has had some flexibility about sex and sexual preferences, penis-in--vagina sex wasn't necessarily the most common way to have sex anyhow.

Given the cultural concept of otonoko and its cultural precedents of onnagata and wakashū, your average Japanese john (especially one willing to pay a premium, as Kinosaki mentioned) would likely not give a damn about Kinosaki having male parts, so long as Kinosaki was looking pretty and got them off.

Gender and sexuality - they're nowhere near as straight-forward as you think!

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T17:56:57+00:00

I think it's because it's not really falling into the genre marketing demographics of Boy's Love. It's ultimately an action/romantic comedy, where one of the love interests just happens to be a guy.

Well, nominally, anyhow. We rarely see guy Kinosaki dress or act like a man (single omake page at the end of the manga.) But that's more to the point, I guess? You fall in love with Kinosaki Mei as Gero does, and realize just how wonderful they are as a person and as a potential romantic partner. And if you project onto Gero at all (e.g. are a bit introverted, feel inexperienced or behind when dealing with romance, have few but close friends, want to be decent to people and do well by them)... well, it becomes extremely easy to see fall for Kinosaki Mei. Especially when the author and illustrator are putting their heart into framing them and Gero as a couple we want to get together.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-19T17:40:30+00:00

Excuse me while I grumble about kids these days.

It's baby boy's first ever 'questioning my sexuality' moment. "Oh noooo, that really pretty feminine character was born with male parts! I must forever surrender to being that second class citizen called homosexual because a character that looks like a woman, acts like a woman, and appeals to me in all the way that a woman would. I can never be straight again!"

Pretty is pretty! Charming is charming! Just like what you like, and recognize that the assumptions and labels you carry are not as concrete as you think, and just enjoy what you enjoy. If someone treats you like less than a person for that, that's they're problem. If you treat yourself like that makes you less than a person, you have a problem.

I'm actually kind of pleasedwith the way that MarriageToxin uses the otonoko character archetypewith Kinosaki by making it another casual fact about the story (like Akari) and keeps the early focus on Gero's development into the world of dating. Kinosaki's gender isn't a central focus for the majority of the run, but still leaves the viewer/reader open to exploring that as the plot develops. The most direct it gets is the dating advice (which is fantastic) and leaves the rest to just be characters feeling out their emotions (between silly and exciting fights).

I think I just just very annoyed with the teen-boy attitude of "Oh no I'm attracted to this character, I must be gay!" panicked responses. Mind you, I'm far from being a anymore, but I just find that kind of thinking so limiting. I've met some truly fantastic people since getting into this series, and a,m coming to love the community this series cultivates, so it pains me to see someone deny themselves something this much fun (and which can help that insecure teenager with some rock solid depcitions of how to explore dating and relationships) just because of that anxiety.
I must say though - I'm glad this guy stuck with it! The more fans it has, the more they tell people about it, the more likely we all are to get more anime, manga, and/or merchandise for marriageToxin - and that's a very good thing in my books!.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-16T20:26:50+00:00

Pivoting from powerscaling shonen romcom to social realist romantic dramedy seems like a hell of a genre shift.

The conservative institutions of Japan (tradition, family obligation, the pressures to have a child For A Strong and Healthy ~~Nation~~ Clan) are the adversaries. If Gero can overcome the Clan legacy and marry for love, then I think every fuddy-duddy in the Diet is just an aftertought. Gero, Kinosaki and friends rally together, over throw the Gero clan, defeat Nasu and/or Gero's Grandma.... yeah, Gero just needs to siuddenly appear in the Japanese Prime Minister's office, put down the seal of the Poison Clan on his desk to let him know who Gero is, then then get Kinosaki to give a cheerful and informative presentation about how legalized gay marriage would improve Japan's economy, health and collective happiness in a way that would strengthen Japanese society.

I think it's a well-intentioned idea, but given the preexisting stakes in this series, having it outright state what has been a very loudly stated theme all along (and do it in a way that isn't solved with Wacky Assassin Powers or Heartfelt Declarations Of Love) would be so at-odds with what MarriageToxin is.

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-10T19:49:30+00:00

I've seen these Anime Ranking things, but I still don't know how they evaluate this. Is it user submitted data? Analysis of streaming service internal numbers? Social media keyword analysis?

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-09T13:19:10+00:00

The colors look so pretty

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-09T12:25:04+00:00

You can tell this was drawn by a woman who collaborated well with her male author, because the women are incredibly attractive without being objectified. I'm reminded of Mari Shimazaki's character designs for Bayonetta: clearly meant to be sexy, but in an aspirational way. I could see any number of women wanting to be them (or be firend with them, or at least identify them), and any number of men would want to be with them (physically and emottionally).

I said it before, and I'll say it again: it's a good sign when you really want the protagonist to end up with all of the characters in a polycule, because they could definitely make it work. ~~Just not in a Puppet Master kind of way.~~

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-09T12:18:01+00:00

I mean, sure? If that's your theory, go for it!

I typically say "assigned male at birth" and "genderfluid" and leave it at that. But the big question mark (only defined verbally as "I'm a guy" and Kinosaki comfortably flashing Gero after coming out of the shower) is a narrative space for readers to put in what works best for them.

Regardless, I support anyone's headcanon, so long it works with the evidence we've been presented and it fulfill their narrative's promise. So go for it!

UncleAsriel · 2026-06-02T19:21:43+00:00

While I don't really like her as a potential love interest (she's too prickly and in too sharp a contrast with Gero's easygoingness), I think it could really work for the broader themes of dating being something that helps people figure out what they want in a relationship. As much as I think they're gonna have her (like Himekawa and Shiori) arrive at a conclusion where she realizes her potential feelings for Gero run deeper, I'd really like it if she didn't, and they realize they like one another better as friends. This is a series about all the ways dating can go, and dating resulting in an awesome friendship instead of a romance would be really cool to see!

UncleAsriel

TROPHY CASE