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My biggest problem with Fairy Tail.
Never got over Gajeel beating Levy within an inch of her life, then literally crucifying her for the rest of the guild to find.
And then that's who people start shipping her with?! AND THEN IT BECOMES FUCKING CANON!?
anime fans have a nasty tendency to ship the most absolutely toxic, nonsensical, garbage pairs. That includes the creators.
Japanese entertainment and good ethics don't really get along. Case in point: Endwalker.
You're now the second commenter piling on as if this type of thing only happens with anime and anime fans.
Well in real life people change, so it’s weird to call it out as this weird thing that shouldn’t be happening.
I'm perfectly on board with redemption arcs. They can make for some of the best character development.
But Gajeel didn't change. He didn't have a redemption arc. His past actions are never confronted in any way whatsoever. His allegiance simply does a 180, and at no point is it even suggested that he has changed or grown as a person.
In fact the series makes a point of him being the "bad boy" of the group, one who is quick to anger, violent and abusive.
And then he's paired off with one of his past assault victims? Nauseating.
He had one of the required dragon powers they needed didn’t they? Unless I am misremembering they had no option but to work with him, and during that time he did significantly change, although kept the bad boy vibe. He even saved them a few times.
I really don’t see his arc being much different than someone’s like Vegeta.
Did he though? What makes you think that when he flies off the handle, he wouldn't still beat people to near death and crucify them first, and ask questions later?
Vegeta is slightly better, but not by much. Mostly because his behaviour is somewhat more believable, as long as you're imaginative enough to make up his off-screen self-improvement process for yourself.
Redemptions need to be earned. They do not work if the author just goes, "they're a good guy now".
I need to see the way the character thinks change, in a believable process with logical progress that I can comprehend.
Pulled from the internet, but yes.
One of the best examples of this is Gajeel. After Phantom Lord's disbandment, he's sitting alone in silence until Makarov comes and talks to him, asking him who he really wants to be and what he believes his future holds for him. Makarov offers him a place in Fairy Tail, and when Gajeel reminds him he's the one who attacked and crucified the three guild members, Makarov's face darkens and he still expresses clear hatred for this crime. Makarov clearly states that he still hasn't forgiven him for this, but he can't just let Gajeel wander in darkness and walk down a worse path knowing he could've helped him. And when he joins the guild, everyone is immediately hostile. Almost none of them accept him, and Shadow Gear later confront him and begin attacking Gajeel, until Laxus joins in and blasts him with lightning. But Gajeel accepts this punishment and does nothing to defend himself, allowing them to get their anger out. Here, he acknowledges his crimes and has to make a genuine effort to redeem himself, which he does in the following arcs.
Sometimes you need to read a little between the lines and look at how they do act differently, but similarly. It’s there, you can also choose to see that they haven’t changed, that’s the great thing about narratives, leaves a lot to interpretation.
Yeah that stuff doesn't show the process. It's just a switch that's been flipped by the author.
It's an explanation of how the good guys get over him joining them, not how Gajeel changed.
What about all the chances he had to let them die or to kill them off while alone, but he actually goes out of his way to save them? You seem to be ignoring the good that he actually did do after this exchange.
So I’ll turn it around, after that event, what did he do to show that he didn’t change and would flip at any moment again? Why do you think he didn’t change after showing he was willing to accept whatever punishment they had? Even to kill him then and there?
I don’t think this one was flip like you’re saying, this is chapters and chapters long of him struggling through and redeeming himself with his choices and actions.
And I don't think it's enough.
For Gajeel to get where he got, much, much more had to happen. The type of stuff I'm not sure Mashima knows how to write.
The only reason Vegeta sorta works for me, is that it's handwaved off as having occurred off-screen. But even then it's not a well done character redemption.
Both of these series aren't the type of stories that get into that stuff, so they expedite all the self-improvement and interpersonal stuff involved... But when you do that, pairing a character like Gajeel with his literal assault victim, doesn't work.
Shit like that makes anime hard to watch sometimes.
What’s wrong with showing that people can be redeemed and change their ways?
Isn’t that the whole point of the courts and jail systems IRL in the end? It’s wild that people can’t handle something that’s quite honestly how humans should be. Why are people so afraid to accept people can and do change, it’s human nature to even. People who don’t change are the outliers.
Sure, people can change. But there's a difference between this person used to be an asshole and getting with the person that literally CRUCIFIED you. Also, you're incredibly naïve if you think jail is meant to be reformative.
Also, you're incredibly naïve if you think jail is meant to be reformative.
You must be American? It works elsewhere pretty damn well with very low reincarnation rates, can’t say the same in places where it’s a business instead. It’s also a problem when people steal some bread just to get themselves off the street for a couple nights with a guaranteed meal…..
This is also more about the meme in general than the specific Fairy Tale case, but to think that no one deserves redemption is just frankly an extremely shitty way of thinking.
Not what I said but sure you can keep forgiving the most unforgivable characters in fiction if you want I guess.
It’s more why get hung up on a specific example? Vegeta did far worse and yet he’s a fan favorite, so why is Gajeel so bad?
Also, as I stated it’s more to do with the meme than the specific case someone brought up, everyone can be deserving of redemption, not everyone will agree obviously, but to say that some people don’t deserve it only speaks volumes of your character.
Some people don't deserve redemption.
Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise can not see all ends.
I will damn whatever fictional characters I feel like. Obviously, I'm more reserved in my judgement of real people though.
Yet in a FANTASY world where people beat each other up for shits and giggles, you hold them to your own even higher standard…?
It’s a FANTASY world where people literally beat each other up for fun, some even became best friends after, and yet this is an arbitrary line you want to die on? Lmfao.
Maybe don’t take fictional media so non-fictionally…..? You would have somewhat of a point if the manga was trying to be realistic and fit out world views but this is either here nor there, and in lore of the media, or actually makes perfect fucking sense, it’s weird you think they need to be defined by OUR standards….