I just want to talk about webcomics/webnovels

Mostly manhwa because that comprises 100% of what I read these days (I hate myself for that)

[stopbittersweetendings]

So I'm thinking about the Webtoon Flow. (Spoilers for the ending)

Look. This is also something I've read years ago. The ending? Bittersweet... oh how bittersweet. There is a special place in my tear ducts for a "wiped memories/unrealized hero" sort of ending. Where the MC is either never recognized or is wiped from all prevalent memories. Flow is the latter... All those good times? Gone. All those memories? Basically never happened. Included in these would be like Life is Strange, because ***SPOILERS*** there is an ending in which, instead of saving her at the beginning of the game (which sets off the events of the whole game), Max let's Chloe get k*lled from the very first moment Max originally saves her in the bathroom. This is because she was basically destined to die there and doing so would save the rest of the town from a storm. But this is at the end of the game! You literally see all the memories get burned away because they no longer happened in the timeline! It is so sad. But! This is about Flow.

Flow was a shorter Webtoon, at least compared to the beasts of Webtoons that can go up to 400+ chapters. It was a compact experience but it was still able to get me to feel bad at the end. It just hits different when all the MC's friends and love interest just don't recognize or remember him. It's sad :(

However, I suppose the solace I can take is that at least the MC exists again! That is already an upgrade from just not even existing anymore... therefore the possibility of connecting is not lost, just changed.

As for the actual Webtoon? I remember thinking it was quite confusing. Then again, I read this quite a few years ago. Additionally, I remember that some of the time hijinks were really intriguing but lowkey got on my nerves. Additionally, I see it as more of a largely moving and exciting drama than an action. It is a meh for me... even though it was quite the notable webtoon to me.

[stopbittersweetendings]

So I'm thinking about the TappyToon comic The Abandoned Empress... and LOOK I know that it has been talked about a LOT before, but I need to give my piece OKAY. (Spoilers for the ending)

First. I know it has been finished for years now, both the original novel and the webcomic. However, I can not let this go until I give my piece.

Look, I know that people were giving hate to the makers... that is not okay. Look, poop on the ending all you want, that is fair, especially with how bad it was. Harassing people over fiction is not cool though. "Oh, but stopbittersweetendings, aren't you doing that?" NO. At least I'm pretty sure I'm not. Going and sending dms/emails/whatever to people with nasty messages is what I mean (sometimes, it depends, even just being hateful publicly is a nuh uh). Not okay. But, a bad ending is a bad ending. People WILL talk about it. TLDR; I do not think it is okay to harass people (especially over this!) But, that doesn't mean it isn't a bad ending with poor moral perpetuation.

With that out of the way. Know that it is a bad ending. Quality wise mostly, but arguably narratively wise as well. Note also, I have only read the webcomic, so I can not attest to the web novel version.

Okay. So why did Tia have to end up with that blue haired dude (I literally don't remember his name I read this years ago and I will not be looking anything up for this take)? Actually why... when Carsein exists? Especially when he exists???? Look, even an ending with Aristia being able to find solace in her own individualism and platonic bonds would've been better. Why? Because you can not tell me that her ending up with ML is narratively satisfying. What happened to all that stuff about paving her own destiny. Being a pioneer? Her middle name??? When she just does the same. thing. again.

Also, what was that stuff with God (I think?) at the beginning? She literally gets told she was meant to be bonded with ML but transmigrator wasn't really meant to come in? That is, if I remember correctly. But she just gets booted??? BOI ARE YOU ANGRY AT GOD OR WHAT WHY DID YOU ACCEPT A MIDDLE NAME- okay I'm calm.

But even with all that, I can not accept that she marries ML again. I can not help but feel like it is a little victim blamey how she gets over her past life. She kind of gets told to just get over it because it hasn't happened yet and ML is a different person... ummmmmmm what???? UMM WHAT

Even if I am wrong about how I remember it, it definitely made me mad. Sure, I don't expect ML to apologize for something he technically hasn't done in that timeline, but the fact that Tia was just able to... get over all the seriously sh***y stuff he did to her. Neglect, executions... other stuff. Enough to marry him again???? Girl please. She remembers all that! It still happened in her personal timeline at the very least. It's painful.

Also I still haven't talked about Allen. Or Carsein. But! I will only talk about them if I feel like it. But after finishing this one, I'd give it a ugh. Full review if it happens...

[stopbittersweetendings]

So I'm thinking about the TappyToon novel Rod of Love... (light spoilers maybe. I will definitely be acting like you've read everything up to now)

It makes me think of when I was watching a ManlyBadassHero (weird reference I know but bear with me) video of a game called Pinocchiogoria, because all of the comments on that video were saying that the big "plot twist/point/shoe-in" was done due to some unsavory implications of what not having that point there would be. *yes it was the adoption thing*

Like, that is just this series, right? Sam is 20 something despite having the body of a literal 6 year old to make it less weird that he's the ML, right??? Like, they just... gave his family a very thematic genetic quirk to make his age more palatable in this context... Not only that, but it is probably to assuage potential guilt on the readers' and the MC/FL's part to be throwing this "kid" around pretty harshly. (There is absolutely more to unpack there but I will not because that is... something).

There is also a lot to remark about the kind of themes at play here. Personally I find this story interesting, despite how strange (and even uncomfortable) some of its plots may be. The use of immaturity vs. maturity definitely make itself prevalent. As, even after ML's body is aged to his time on the planet, he is most comfortable or even endeared when he is able to show his "immature" side to the MC/FL. This is also despite the fact that he wants to mature quickly to find Jane (Emily). Now, this may be a reference to the kind of nature of children to want to grow quickly (as, admittedly, ML was quite child-like in thought when in that body), but I think it might also have to do with the idea that ML finally has to face something***

And this is just the ML! The MC/FL also has relations to this immaturity vs. maturity thing going on. She lives her whole life being able to live immaturely (youngest, ill-mannered), but she has to be the one to be mature for ML when he is child-bodied, only to be able to resume "immaturity" after returning to her body. In which they both expose these parts of their character to one another in their speech and actions. Maybe there is something to say in how "immaturity" in this story may relate to the concept of showing one's real, unfiltered self in a relationship

I don't think that was the most elegant explanation of that, but I tried... (***especially this part) Maybe I am just reading too into it. Anyway I don't know if I will talk about this story again but so far it's a meh for me.

[stopbittersweetendings]

I am neither an expert nor an extensive researcher of the things I read. And half the time I don't even finish them, but that won't stop me from talking about them. (I have too many opinions and I think my brother is halfway to insanity given how he is my only option to unload them on)