#fantasy manhwa

[ririthesky]

This is something ive been figuring out with most historical like fantasy stories (either its manga or manhwa. But mostly manhwa over the years).

If there's a male main character, the story is centered around him. Even if there's a romantic lead, the story doesn’t divert from his journey and character development. And in most cases, the romance is developed but is always secondary to the main plot.

But with female main characters, the story centers both her and her romantic lead. In most cases, the plot and development of her own character is secondary to the romance. And with it comes sometimes questionable themes (abuse apologists mindset, the rich being saintly, etc.), misogyny (all women but the fmc being perfect is sadly common), and the narrative putting the male love interest on a pedestal (even when he does questionable things).

And, even when I find an interesting historical fantasy story with a compelling female lead, it will always end up centering the romance in some way. The plot is offensively paper-thin, with no thoughts on what the main message of the story is, or any level of nuance.

The result of this, is that I get extra critical whenever I come over a story with a great hook and a fmc. 9 times out if 10 it ends up disappointing me.

And if I do find one, I will always go "oh wait, I'm already reading that... is that really all there is? 😥"

[elfqueen006]

Lowkey powerfantasy manga or manhwa suck worse when you realize you kind of have half have to be okay with Bad Shit happening or Whoa Hey That Isn't Cool for plot and difficult yet interesting events to occur.

But everyone's so obsessed with one tapping an enemy or dropping that heavy "bitch" onto someone mid conversation that you don't really get to see how the characters bounce off each other lowkey. Somebody just gets humbled and then your proverbial or literal dick gets ridden. And it seems cool for face value but nothing actually of substance happens.

For example, I was reading this well crafted MHA fic called Thorns by JupitersWitch - there was tension going on between Yaomomo and Reader bc of a falling out. And currently they are on their way to closure and intermingling.

But the whole time I was just thinking to myself how I wouldn't be able to progress the plot at ALL because I would be antagonizing the hell out of Yaomomo from pettiness and everyone who's given me doubt. And it may seem badass in the moment, but then you got no friends and thus no allies nor people to help you progress from the goodness of their hearts.

And then outside of that in the otome sphere you just got those fuckass boys from TaishoXAlice with their smart ass mouths.

TLDR; Powerfantasies cater too much to their audience to the point there's barely any conflict, thus contributing to the lack of substance. Sometimes you just gotta let that discomfort take place.

[elfqueen006]

I was reading The Abandoned Empress and I know Jieun is meant to be portrayed as a little bit ignorant and ditzy, but isn't it kind of fucked up that she is obviously a kid who genuinely doesn't understand the gravity of the situation she's in and wants to go home because of the fact she's been made part of a world she didn't ask to be in but Arista basically told her to shut the hell up because it's a role that she wanted but is butthurt someone else doesn't want it?

Like obviously i'm kind of mad for Arista bc she was abused and made to be humiliated with intention because of that jerkass Ruve, but before that, her problems aren't Jieun's. She's a kid who wanted to go home, reasonably.

[igaveuponlifealongtimeago]

[igaveuponlifealongtimeago]

[igaveuponlifealongtimeago]

[igaveuponlifealongtimeago]

[igaveuponlifealongtimeago]