Sitting there like they are on a trip to Disneyland. No really, what is that face?
I swear anime!Blanca drives me nuts with the faces he makes sometimes. Blanca is one of those characters who rarely speaks his mind but everything he doesn't bring into words is written on his face. Anime version of him lacks the expressive face which gave him depth in the manga. His expressions are rarely fitting for any given context.
In the above example, Blanca and Yue are on the way to catch Ash. Blanca is there in the capacity of Yue's bodyguard and, as a penalty for double-crossing him, also an adviser/a strategist to him. He has sworn loyalty to the Lee, but a part of him roots for Ash like always. He's concerned for his client first and foremost, and does as he is commanded, but it doesn't mean he is pleased to capture Ash. He doesn't let this tug of war between his heart and mind show on his face, but his true feelings slip out of that cold exterior he maintains. Also, Yue Lung decided to go out in the open to the Natural History Museum against Blanca's advice. Even if we say it was purely out of professional thinking, he's still concerned for Yue as the situation poses danger to him.
Now this is how he was supposed to look. That body language screams disapproval of Yue's impulsiveness. The anime version makes Blanca looks like he doesn't give a fuck about both Ash and Yue in this scene.
Let's look at the next example.
His sidelong glance here looks like he's slightly smirking at Yue. "Serves you right" kind of gaze.
This one second frame in the anime is elaborately drawn in the manga. It's one of those rare moments where the readers can see how human both Blanca and Yue are. Beneath all of that hate, violence and ruthlessness, they too have vulnerabilities that no human being is exempt from.
For all the claims about Blanca "not letting his feelings interfere with his work", he's so deeply moved when someone is vulnerable in his presence. He keeps his emotions sealed in a box, but there's only so much he can do when someone needs him like this.
Yue Lung is rather unbothered while taking lives and always eager to die himself, but he's extremely shaken when death encounters him unprompted. It's almost suprising to see him so scared that it takes him a while to regain composure. Or maybe he was scared after each attempt on his life but he had to face it all alone. This time, however, he has another human being by his side- someone he has let himself get attached to. He clutches on to his bodyguard, the young boy in him spontaneously seeking support and safety.
Blanca takes heed to that silent appeal amidst the chaos of flying bullets and death around them, and in response he becomes still for a moment. He's conscious of how emotionally drawn he can be to people, to Yue, but he doesn’t fight his humanity back in that moment, he lets it take over him. It's quite similar to the time when he held Ash for the first time (Only difference is that his eyes look even more jaded in the panel below, as he was yet to learn to love again after his wife's demise).
When he had agreed to join Yue as his bodyguard, I think Blanca played on him. It's not like he didn't care for an injured '16 year old boy' at all or that he wasn't loyal to Yue. It's just that he was more focused on Ash and also wanted to work his way out of a sticky situation Yue Lung had put him through (chased him relentlessly and won't leave him without having hired him).
This scene between Yue and Blanca marks the beginning of something more personal, less formal between them. Blanca is now concerned for Yue Lung not just as a servant is for their master, but also as a man who's protective of someone younger than him under his care. He had given his word that he won't hesitate to attack even Ash if there comes a day he threatens Yue's safety, and at the Museum Yue witnesses him deliver as promised. As a result, Yue Lung, it seems, began to trusts him a little again after this incident. It shows he does, as he told Blanca to not apologize for whatever happened with him. I mean, it's not everyday that 'Lord Lee Yue Lung' gives that kind of grace to his subordinates, but he makes an exception for Blanca, especially after he had seen how he got stabbed while saving him from Ash. He kind of acknowledges the fact none of this would have happened had he listened to a single thing Blanca had to advise him that day.
Interestingly, this progress in their dynamic is not once and for all. Yue keeps a soft spot for Blanca throughout the story, but jealousy overrules that softness whenever he catches Blanca rooting for Ash. In these moments, Yue adopts airs of a tyrant, that Sing said he is, and makes sure to remind Blanca his place. Why should it be him who has to be lenient after all? No grace or emotional attachment for someone who doesn't prioritize his wants.
He took the opportunity to spit Blanca's own words back at him by reminding him that his "job is to protect him, and nothing else", especially not lecturing him. Lmao.
Likewise, Blanca starts behaving all professional with Yue after a few times he has to face Ash in a fight, more so if has to hurt Ash as per the demand of his 'job'.
In the first pic, he was actually worried for Yue Lung. He takes one good look at him, then asks him to be sure "...are you alright, sir?".
On the other hand, the second one is after he and Ash had attacked each other, so it's more of him playing a bodyguard again. Note his closed eyes, which is a telltale sign of a manga/anime character not being honest. Although Blanca is not being dishonest to be exact, but he has gone all professional again as his face takes up more guarded, restrained look.
Mind you, he's still very concerned for his current master but it seems hostility with his favorite pupil did impact him somewhere.
Maybe I am reading too much in these panels....but this is a fun way to read this manga.
Wow. Just look at the beauty king on the left, so aware of his charm and good looks. Did they forget to add anime sparkles? Yes they did lol.
I mean, it's obvious they put care to make Blanca look deadly handsome....I wish they could also draw his expressions more intricately so his character appears true to the original. Blanca looks suspicious of Yue's next plan, he was worried but none of it can be understood by looking at the anime version.
Everything said, I think it happens with anime adaptations in general. Anime characters tend to look flat and not as expressive compared to their manga counterparts. I am aware anime artists already work themselves to death so it's not to discredit their hardwork, it's just a bit of wishful thinking on my part.
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