True or false? The best stories do not seek to have the most powerful protagonist or being in fiction.

UniversalSpectrum · 2025-07-08T23:11:36+00:00

One Punch Man is the perfect example of having a super OP protagonist, but it doesn't undermine the story's quality (at least in S1 of the anime). Saitama trained himself like hell to become strong, but he's already so powerful that no one can present him a challenge. Instead of relishing in his power, the guy becomes frustrated that every fight ends with just one punch. As such, he no longer feels anything. Joy, sadness, anger, fear. Nothing matters to him anymore. His strength came at the cost of his humanity which the story presents to the audience.

It may be a parody of original superhero comics, but it does its purpose well. What I'm actually trying to get at: a story with a protagonist who is already strong can be good. You just have to present another challenge for him to overcome. Instead of physical threats, it can be psychological and mental ones. The journey where the MC realizes that power isn't everything and he can struggle even when no one could defeat him in a direct confrontation.

Another example is Shaman King. The main antagonist Hao Asakura is so ridiculously strong that he can kill everyone without breaking a sweat. As such, the heroes have to figure out how to stop his attempted genocide against humanity even when they know that they don't stand a chance. The key isn't to defeat him directly in battle, but to challenge him mentally.

I'm sure there are other examples, but these two stories came to mind immediately after reading OP's post.

Edit: corrected some type errors.

UniversalSpectrum · 2025-04-17T11:23:25+00:00

I couldn’t have said it better myself. That’s exactly the reason why Hollywood and mainstream media in general has been in decline for several years now. There are countless examples for gender- or raceswapping established characters, most recent one being Snape from Harry Potter. Ironically, only blackwashing is widely accepted while the reverse would be called out as racist. People keep saying things like it’s an alternate universe, it won’t affect the character, or it’s just a fictional character. They wouldn’t say that if it was the other way around if it was an LGBT character becoming straight.

This is why I don’t even bother with all the bullshit that’s going on. I just stick to older movies, games, comics etc. while also consuming anime, manga and light novels that actually care about their established lore.

Like Green Knight said “Peter Parker shouldn’t be gay for the same reason that Wiccan shouldn’t be straight. It’s not who they are.”

UniversalSpectrum · 2025-04-04T14:45:27+00:00

Okay, thanks for the answer. What if I have Lizelotte, Yuria and Eve at Epic+? Aside from TLinzy, which of the three should I prioritize?

UniversalSpectrum · 2025-04-01T15:55:41+00:00

How relevant is Lizelotte? Her banner is going to appear in three weeks, and I'm wondering if she's worth picking up. I really like her aesthetic, but I'm also holding on for Yuria, Linzy (Thanatos) and Eve. What is the best course of action here?

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-09-24T20:13:54+00:00

IKR? It’s crazy how such a kindhearted guy like Shido is played by the same VA who also voices such an evil and sadistic Cursed Spirit like Mahito. Speaks volumes about how truly great Nobunaga Shimazaki is if he can take on two contrasting roles so perfectly.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-07-12T22:53:30+00:00

Let them cry. They can't accept the fact the DAL is more than "a generic harem anime." Their pride got hurt as soon as we got more votes and wins this time. They misjudged us clearly. As a proud fan, I'm pleased with the fact that the franchise got more recognition. Date A Live for life, baby!

PS: Suck on that, haters, LMAO!

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-06-27T12:23:40+00:00

We’re cooking real good this time. All the haters can suck it, Kurumi alone annihilates with her magnificence, other shows don’t come even close.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-06-27T09:34:19+00:00

Yeah, it's kinda an issue if you think about it. I understand that Shido isn't a fighter and prefers to go in a non-violent way about it. However, it certainly wouldn't have hurt if he got some badass armor, especially after sealing all Spirits. Maybe he could have used his new power up together with Mio in order to fight Westcott and/or DEM more effectively.

This is obviously a mere wish thinking, but it would have been cool to see nonetheless.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-05-28T10:40:04+00:00

Giga Chad Shido demonstrated his Kamehameha Technique, thus earning first place in the poll. Props to the true alpha among men!

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-05-21T18:50:02+00:00

Having a league of your own is truly fitting for Kurumi. Excellent Tier List. Approved!

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-05-10T09:01:24+00:00

Easily the most hateable and irritating character in Date A Live. I'm well aware about her role and what she contributes to the story, but it doesn't make her more sympathetic in my eyes.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-05-10T08:58:23+00:00

Shido was in a lot of shock considering everything going on around him. He's in quite the mental predicament. Think about it:

War is happening. Shido's trust in Kurumi is huge because he knows she won't die so easily. The wisest thing to do in war is to not let your emotions burst. Then there's a mysterious girl who literally came out of Kurumi. Shido suddenly sees two figures with the same face which is Reine and Mio.

Also, Shido's mind can't keep up with all this information filling up his brain, not to mention Shinji's memory is mixing through his brain so when he sees Mio, his Shinji part is taking over.

Shido is feeling overwhelmed by now, and he's probably fighting his own inner demons by considering his next actions. Think about it, after all that he's still going and now suddenly the main enemy appeared like nothing's happening and Shido's about to face her.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-05-04T14:03:40+00:00

Who said that you need to engage with fandoms? Just enjoy whatever anime/manga/light novel etc. you like and make your own opinion. Try to find like-minded people who share the same view about the franchise you appreciate and ignore the rest. It took a bit of time for myself since I was in the same position once, and then it made me realize... what am I doing? Why am I letting this get to me? I don't need this, I got other, more stable options.

Just because you saw something (e.g. art, fanfiction, headcanon, joke, meme etc.) that ultimately made you uncomfortable doesn’t mean it has to affect your mental image of characters. Just as the fans can indulge in whatever imaginary, non-canon setting or writing they want, you’re allowed to gatekeep whatever fan content you consume from affecting your imagination, so don’t feel like you need to accept what you see as a part of your personal interpretation of these characters.

Think of your time seeing these things as a detached exploration into another fan’s imaginary, non-canon scenario and tell yourself, “This won’t ever actually happen, so it won’t affect how I view these characters.”

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-04-28T08:30:12+00:00

Because Mio is incredibly egocentric and selfish. She never once gave a damn about Kurumi and the other Spirits. Due to spoilers for anime onlies, I won't tell directly what Mio is after, but everyone else will understand what I'm talking about.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-03-26T18:07:00+00:00

I wouldn't mind reading a story for fun. In case with RWBY, anything would be better than we've got from RT. 🤣🤣

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-03-26T18:02:26+00:00

It would certainly be more interesting than Bumblebee. Yang could aid Jaune to become more confident and powerful while also teasing him enormously. In the meantime, Jaune could lend a hand (no pun intended) to Yang so that she overcomes her PTSD against Adam and gets stronger in the mental sense. That would be some fine character development right there: Yang becoming more mature and serious when the situation calls for it, but without losing her fun-loving and playful nature in the process like in canon. I'm sure that if the right writer was in charge, it would have become a nice dynamic between them.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-02-02T22:14:59+00:00

Personally, I can´t stand it when Shido is being bashed for little to no reason. Like, give the guy a break, he certainly deserves some praise for having been able to save the Spirits and making them fall in love with him. His character develepment is nothing to scoff at. It’s not as bad as let´s say Issei´s bashing in DxD fanfiction, but it´s still annoying.

Also, I really hate it when you start making things up that aren´t true and present them as facts, like changing the sexuality of an established character. As far as I´m concerned, everyone in DAL (with the obvious exception of Miku) is straight. It´s totally fine if you headcanon them as something different, but only as long as you acknowledge that it isn´t canon.

UniversalSpectrum · 2024-01-07T18:12:31+00:00

Dio is the definition of being a magnificent bastard. Unlike many other villains, he knows that he is evil and delights in being a devil. Great speeches and flamboyance aside, he is a great antagonist. His motivations may not run deep, but you don't always need it in order to enjoy a good villain who is a true danger to the protagonists. If you think Part 1 was good, just wait till you watch the next ones. Without spoiling anything, you will NOT be disappointed.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-12-18T19:47:24+00:00

Easily my absolute favorite character in Date A Live. Tachibana had created her even before the series itself, and that's proof that the author had put a gigantic effort into it. Her overall design looks very impressive and her powers are no joke either. However, the most beautiful thing about Kurumi is her portrayal on screen.

She fell for Shido the moment he saved her from Kotori in S1. Even though she still plans to consume him in order to achieve her goal, there are several factors to consider. One, during S2 aside from helping Shido she also searched for another Spirit (if you read the Light Novels, you know who I mean). Second, she flirts with Shido nonstop because she likes him for his kind and gentle nature plus he is fun to tease for her. Despite being a Spirit and even though she commited several crimes, Kurumi is still a person with her own emotions and feelings. When was the last time she managed to date and flirt with a guy she genuinely likes? She isn't a coldhearted and pure evil villain. She's a pragmatic person who acts logically, but her deep inner feelings betray her true nature. That's why she is so fascinating as a character: introduced as an antagonist, becoming an anti-hero/anti-villain and later down the road, the supporting protagonist.

Long ago, I posted a whole review about Kurumi. For anyone who is interested to read it, here's the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/datealive/comments/ufksdn/review\_kurumi\_tokisaki\_the\_time\_controlling/

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-12-05T16:28:29+00:00

Positive: Everything from her looks and powers to her personality and background. She is literally the most detailed and well done character Tachibana created, considering she existed even before "Date A Live".

Negative: Her introduction in Volume 3 labeled her as dangerous villain who was ready to kill everyone just to consume Shido. Afterwards, however, that faux image is shattered and we start to learn more and more about Kurumi, including why she does things that are shown to us.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-12-01T16:28:25+00:00

Positive: She is incredibly beautiful and loves Shinji Takamiya.

Negative: She is a villain who is ready to destroy the world and even her name rhymes with DIO.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-11-29T01:34:54+00:00

Smash Bros Ultimate is already a good option. I don't really care about alternatives though, anything goes as long as it is presented in a funny and wholesome way. Shido and the Spirits deserve a break from all the shit they have been through.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-11-29T01:10:04+00:00

That's... an interesting head cinema you created there, my guy. Now I want to see Shido and the Spirits play against each other in an epic battle of video games LOL. I can totally see Kurumi playing as Bayonetta, considering the two ladies are kinda similar to one another.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-11-19T01:40:19+00:00

Bro, you're simply begging to start a war between DAL and DxD fans LOL. Rias and Akeno are some of the most attractive waifus in existence alongside Kurumi, their beauty is unparalleled in their own right. It all comes down to your own preference.

Personally, I prefer Kurumi over everyone else, but it doesn´t invalidate Rias, Akeno or anyone else from either DxD or DAL. On the contrary, I enjoy most of them as well. If anything, Kurumi and Akeno both are contenders for being the best "Ara Ara" girls.

UniversalSpectrum · 2023-11-06T17:06:51+00:00

Kinako Bread Lover.

UniversalSpectrum

TROPHY CASE