TIL Goblin Slayer kinda is Japan's "50 Shades"...

Finaj · Oct 28, 2018

One of the main problems is that I just don't think the Goblins are all that interesting. Most fantasy shows already show goblins as low-level fodder/vermin. Making them more evil by having them rape and breed women doesn't do much to change that. That, along with characters like the Goblin Slayer and Elven Archer being so one-dimentional makes the show just come across as lazy. Unless Goblin Slayer decides to subvert these tropes later on, I'm not sure what the point of the show is.

DerpHause · Oct 28, 2018

Ferrs said:
Men can't gestate in Alien , yet they found a way to create a species that requires other species to procreate without having to rely on fetishizing rape on women.

At the end, the artist can do whatever the fuck they want with reality, sure, but then don't deny what's the intention behind on what you're clearly doing.

Yes, alien chose to build a narrative reproductive process befitting an extinction weapon.

Goblin Slayer did not, and we're going to disagree on the notion of fetishizing. I assume you think traumatization and hate are a part of that fetish? Or do you think of those as only being narrative tools trying to make the content more palatable after the fact?

Icemonk191 · Oct 28, 2018

Xaszatm said:
So beforehand its "you haven't read it you can't form a true opinion unless you do" and now it's "you've read it therefore you can't complain". Which is it? Or is the excuse whatever you can find until the only answer is that no one can complain about your precious goblin raping manga?

Dude is literally pulling from the "You complain about society yet you continue to live in one?" playbook.

golguin · Oct 28, 2018

What was the last anime aired to cause this sort of reaction?

I watch Goblin Slayer and enjoy it, but it's not particularly unique in its premise or delivery.

Bramblebutt · Oct 28, 2018

I watched the first episode because of this thread.

"The Guild?" Check.
Peurile ranking system? Check.
Generic art style? Check.
Uninteresting and somewhat self-contradicting premise? Check.
Shallow waifu bait protagonist? Check.
"Badass", hyper-violent dark knight deuteragonist? Check.

Frankly, I don't see much value at all in this. It's like the author didn't know how to establish compelling characters, narrative stakes, or an engrossing setting, so he just dropped in a bunch of gratuitous violence into a stock fantasy anime for shock value. I think someone made the comparison in this thread already, but it's like a shitty 70's exploitation film. Completely uninspired, insipid, and boring. I have no interest in watching further.

MeaningOfKarma · Oct 28, 2018

I'm surprised more anime dorklords aren't professional theologians

"According to the CANONICAL SCRIPTURE goblinmen require rape in order to procreate. Why? Well, because the good book tells us so."

DerpHause · Oct 28, 2018

MeaningOfKarma said:
I'm surprised more anime dorklords aren't professional theologians

"According to the CANONICAL SCRIPTURE goblinmen require rape in order to procreate. Why? Well, because the good book tells us so."

Who here actually said anything like that?

Who hasn't acknowledged it as an arbitrary narrative decision with the exception of questions that could only be answered with in world logic ("Why did this specific thing in the story happen the way it did?" style questions which already have answers in the already established narrative decisions)?

Skittles · Oct 28, 2018

Monster Zero said:
I'm not concerned with whether you are offended by Goblin Slayer. You obviously have watched/read plenty of it and will continue to do so.

Monster Zero · Oct 28, 2018

Skittles said:

Because comparing the society you live in to watching a cartoon/comic book that on a soapbox you claim to be terrible and disgusted by is the same thing. Like your pic example there are sayings/words for people whose actions don't back up their words.

Deleted member 5535 · Oct 28, 2018

Kewlmyc said:
Don't think the OP is arguing against that. That's how most LN are nowadays. It's just that the original idea for GS came from a forum post.

Not really. Many LN are indeed based on web novels with the advent of the internet but the majority is still originally from the media.

Glitchesarecool said:
I can't wait until this anime is completely forgotten by next season.

Oh, it will. lol The format of seasons helps that for all type of anime, unlike in continuous manga/anime or whatever it is. It's always like this.

Xaszatm · Oct 28, 2018

Monster Zero said:
Because comparing the society you live in to watching a cartoon/comic book that on a soapbox you claim to be terrible and disgusted by is the same thing. Like your pic example there are sayings/words for people whose actions don't back up their words.

And because I read it because people like you kept going "it gets better I promise" and "if you don't read it, you can't complain about it" I now...have no right to complain about it? What?

EMT0 · Oct 28, 2018

MeaningOfKarma said:
I'm surprised more anime dorklords aren't professional theologians

"According to the CANONICAL SCRIPTURE goblinmen require rape in order to procreate. Why? Well, because the good book tells us so."

Wait is that a plot of this or we just dunking on Berserk rn. Because if this copied that from Berserk....I came into the wrong thread. Where's that Simpsons gif of Homer going into the hedge when you need it

Monster Zero · Oct 28, 2018

Xaszatm said:
And because I read it because people like you kept going "it gets better I promise" and "if you don't read it, you can't complain about it" I now...have no right to complain about it? What?

I never told you it gets better. Why would I need to defend horror genre for showing horror. Don't make excuses for yourself, you watched/read it because you wanted to and have probably already watched episode 4.

Xaszatm · Oct 28, 2018

Monster Zero said:
I never told you it gets better. Why would I need to defend horror genre for showing horror. Don't make excuses for yourself, you watched/read it because you wanted to and have probably already watched episode 4.

I haven't even watched past the first episode because I already knew where the manga was going. And I quit that shortly after chapter 12 because nothing was going to convince me to read the rest of manga. But nice "reverse psychology" insults to imply that I secretly like the rape. Very pathetic.

Harken Raiser · Oct 28, 2018

EMT0 said:
Wait is that a plot of this or we just dunking on Berserk rn. Because if this copied that from Berserk....I came into the wrong thread. Where's that Simpsons gif of Homer going into the hedge when you need it

Yeah, the goblins rape women to procreate.

Yukari · Oct 28, 2018

Finaj said:
One of the main problems is that I just don't think the Goblins are all that interesting. Most fantasy shows already show goblins as low-level fodder/vermin. Making them more evil by having them rape and breed women doesn't do much to change that. That, along with characters like the Goblin Slayer and Elven Archer being so one-dimentional makes the show just come across as lazy. Unless Goblin Slayer decides to subvert these tropes later on, I'm not sure what the point of the show is.

There are Stronger/High Goblins Class group that he can't deal alone without help from people in the guilds.

In Few latest novel look like goblins are big part of Demon Lord plan or Something.

Deleted member 19066 · Oct 28, 2018

Bramblebutt said:
I watched the first episode because of this thread.

"The Guild?" Check.
Peurile ranking system? Check.
Generic art style? Check.
Uninteresting and somewhat self-contradicting premise? Check.
Shallow waifu bait protagonist? Check.
"Badass", hyper-violent dark knight deuteragonist? Check.

Frankly, I don't see much value at all in this. It's like the author didn't know how to establish compelling characters, narrative stakes, or an engrossing setting, so he just dropped in a bunch of gratuitous violence into a stock fantasy anime for shock value. I think someone made the comparison in this thread already, but it's like a shitty 70's exploitation film. Completely uninspired, insipid, and boring. I have no interest in watching further.

A lot of anime can really be compared to exploitation flicks. GS is a perfect example of it, really. The ecchi stuff has embraced its own nature, but more self serious stuff has a ways to go. Without the rape and grimdark this could make for a gleefuly violent romp.

Kenstar · Oct 28, 2018

hoggert said:
wow this sounds like a batman for grownups if you replace goblin with drug dealing minorities
i want to buy some copies
does anyone have any idea of places to hide it so my parents doesnt find it and take my xbox away

its rare a post makes me laugh out lout

Glitchesarecool · Oct 28, 2018

Seriously why do most of the side chicks have beach ball-esque knockers?

Oh right it's a fetish/ecchi anime.

Deleted member 6730 · Oct 28, 2018

Monster Zero said:
Because comparing the society you live in to watching a cartoon/comic book that on a soapbox you claim to be terrible and disgusted by is the same thing. Like your pic example there are sayings/words for people whose actions don't back up their words.

The fact that this comic always makes people mad will never not be hilarious.

Deleted member 19066 · Oct 28, 2018

Glitchesarecool said:
Seriously why do most of the side chicks have beach ball-esque knockers?

Oh right it's a fetish/ecchi anime.

It's worse than that. It's not a fetish/ecchi anime they just can't help themselves. There is no anime where she couldn't have beach ball tiddies.

H.Protagonist · Oct 29, 2018

Bramblebutt said:
I watched the first episode because of this thread.

"The Guild?" Check.
Peurile ranking system? Check.
Generic art style? Check.
Uninteresting and somewhat self-contradicting premise? Check.
Shallow waifu bait protagonist? Check.
"Badass", hyper-violent dark knight deuteragonist? Check.

Frankly, I don't see much value at all in this. It's like the author didn't know how to establish compelling characters, narrative stakes, or an engrossing setting, so he just dropped in a bunch of gratuitous violence into a stock fantasy anime for shock value. I think someone made the comparison in this thread already, but it's like a shitty 70's exploitation film. Completely uninspired, insipid, and boring. I have no interest in watching further.

I haven't seen the anime, so I can't really comment on the quality there, but the manga is well drawn, in my opinion. The fantasy tropes are generic, no bones there, but they're also comfort food for DnD types, and having read much farther in than you've gotten, I think the main character is actually really appealing. That single-minded grittiness and focus on practical adventuring is a nice change from the usual earnest/power of friendship blah protagonists you generally get. And I'll have to disagree with you on the shallow waifu bait MC thing given what I've seen. As I said in another thread on this, I think they actually have the kernels of believable reasons to be attracted to the guy. Usually I'd roll my eyes if 3+ girls were all shooting for the faceless MC, but somehow it's works here. Not disagreeing that he's in a contrived position with beautiful women all around him, but he is admirable and dedicated and his reserved air is attractive. It remains to be seen if what good elements there are in it will outweigh the other garbage, though.

Mendrox · Oct 29, 2018

Finaj said:
One of the main problems is that I just don't think the Goblins are all that interesting. Most fantasy shows already show goblins as low-level fodder/vermin. Making them more evil by having them rape and breed women doesn't do much to change that. That, along with characters like the Goblin Slayer and Elven Archer being so one-dimentional makes the show just come across as lazy. Unless Goblin Slayer decides to subvert these tropes later on, I'm not sure what the point of the show is.

It's the whole point of the show - changing the Goblin Slayer through his party (and realizing the Goblins are a bigger threat than any other adventures might think, there really is a lot more to the story and characters after chapter 1/episode 1).

Trojita · Oct 29, 2018

The killing and rape at the beginning was meant for whiplash shock value. You aren't supposed to realize how bad the novice adventurers messed up until that moment happens. The sword user got mercilessly slaughtered, the pompous mage got poisoned, and the monk who survived was raped. The scene was also supposed to inform the viewer of how bad the raid was on Goblin Slayer's village in the past without actually showing it. I know some people were saying they could have implied without showing, but the author decided to do that for the village raid in the past instead.

Cow girls boobs are ridiculous.

Klyka · Oct 29, 2018

From what I could tell the manga mostly got spread around because there are some very well drawn and cool panels in it that reminded a lot of People of Berserk or even Dark Souls artwork. That's how I came across it at least.
I think the anime actually loses a lot of value because it doesn't have that kind of detailed art behind it

SliceSabre · Oct 29, 2018

Klyka said:
From what I could tell the manga mostly got spread around because there are some very well drawn and cool panels in it that reminded a lot of People of Berserk or even Dark Souls artwork. That's how I came across it at least.
I think the anime actually loses a lot of value because it doesn't have that kind of detailed art behind it

Honestly that happens with a lot of manga with sublime art like this.

More often than not anime just can't do the manga art justice and that happened here as well.

A Strong Latte · Oct 29, 2018

Goblin Slayer? Sublime art? Come on now. Let's not lower the bar to something that's generic, serviceable at best when there's so many manga artsist doing amazing character work/panelling and composition

H.Protagonist · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
Goblin Slayer? Sublime art? Come on now. Let's not lower the bar to something that's generic, serviceable at best when there's so many manga artsist doing amazing character work/panelling and composition

He oversold it, you're underselling it. It's nicely drawn overall.

Deleted member 9714 · Oct 29, 2018

The first episode was really off-putting for me; especially since I had no idea it would be so graphic or dark. Looking back, when it was advertised during Crunchyroll or VIZ panels it felt like the staff was trying really hard to deceive people about the show's content. I'm glad I decided to check out the manga though. Once Goblin Slayer gets his party it becomes really engaging. He's a neat character and I like his development so far.

SliceSabre said:
Honestly that happens with a lot of manga with sublime art like this.

More often than not anime just can't do the manga art justice and that happened here as well.

Yeah, it's unfortunate because some of the panels look so great. Goblin Slayer getting up after being knocked into the coffin in that one fight was just too cool.

Onyar · Oct 29, 2018

I'm really enjoying it, a more mature aproximation of what it can be understood as a fantasy world. It's not perfect but liked the try to make it different.

Klyka · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
Goblin Slayer? Sublime art? Come on now. Let's not lower the bar to something that's generic, serviceable at best when there's so many manga artsist doing amazing character work/panelling and composition

It doesn't have "sublime art" at all, especially not for like 90% of the Panels, but there are some very detailed very well made Panels which are the ones that are usually shared around.
Like I said,I actually first came across Goblin Slayer in a thread on a board where People posted all the detailed Panels and with the title "if Dark Souls had a manga" cause you know, everything must be Dark Souls if it's slightly realistic armor and gritty lol

A Strong Latte · Oct 29, 2018

Also I don't think being a "pretty well drawn" dark fantasy manga is a sell when berserk exists. I don't think it's even a particularly interesting premise when berserk exists.

Klyka · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
Also I don't think being a "pretty well drawn" dark fantasy manga is a sell when berserk exists. I don't think it's even a particularly interesting premise when berserk exists.

I mean, if someone says "I like Berserk's art" and someone else says "Hey if you like that, check out these panels from this manga" is the other guy really gonna say "NO BERSERK EXISTS I DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT ANYTHING ELSE"?
One thing existing doesn't invalidate looking at something else as well

sibarraz · Oct 29, 2018

Honestly, I'm more offended with the cowgirl than the rape on the first episode. The rape although cheap, at least has a purpose of setting the goblins as truly despicable, and the risks that the priestess is involving into by being alongside the Goblin Slayer. But the cowgirl in the other hand is just pure fanservice, to the point than she gives weight to the idea than the rape was sexualized

Trojita · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
Also I don't think being a "pretty well drawn" dark fantasy manga is a sell when berserk exists. I don't think it's even a particularly interesting premise when berserk exists.

A book isn't a sell because of a series that started nearly three decades ago?

Easy_D · Oct 29, 2018

Monster Zero said:
Why would corpses be used as hostages? What part of women being kept alive in a goblin nest only because they can produce children is hard to understand. You may not like it but that's the reality of the story.

"That's just the way the world that a human being had full control over creating and deciding the rules of everything is"

Trojita · Oct 29, 2018

Easy_D said:
"That's just the way the world that a human being had full control over creating and deciding the rules of everything is"

Yes a person created this work???

Easy_D · Oct 29, 2018

Trojita said:
Yes a person created this work???

I mean they could have figured out a better way to show how nasty goblins are. Like indiscriminately eating people. That's pretty terrible too. Just saying something is the reality of the story doesn't mean it couldn't have been thought out better by the author.

A Strong Latte · Oct 29, 2018

Trojita said:
A book isn't a sell because of a series that started nearly three decades ago?

If someone sold you on a movie with space ships and laser swords post star wars would it really be something super interesting

Trojita · Oct 29, 2018

Easy_D said:
I mean they could have figured out a better way to show how nasty goblins are. Like indiscriminately eating people. That's pretty terrible too. Just saying something is the reality of the story doesn't mean it couldn't have been thought out better by the author.

What's more offensive? Clearly one thing is more offensive for you to be in a fictional story.

Trojita · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
If someone sold you on a movie with space ships and laser swords post star wars would it really be something super interesting

If it was good, yes. We had a drought of Star Wars through the 90's and then got the shitastic prequels. I'll take any Scifantasy movies if they are good.

It's like not reading any fantasy stories after Tolkien.

BasilZero · Oct 29, 2018

I think I will start on this anime after I catch up to railgun S

Been seeing it pop up on some people's recommended lists or watching lists on MAL

FF Seraphim · Oct 29, 2018

remz said:
If someone sold you on a movie with space ships and laser swords post star wars would it really be something super interesting

Ah yes. TLJ wasnt great so a new movie thats as good as ANH would go over well with me!

jett · Oct 29, 2018

Bramblebutt said:
I watched the first episode because of this thread.

"The Guild?" Check.
Peurile ranking system? Check.
Generic art style? Check.
Uninteresting and somewhat self-contradicting premise? Check.
Shallow waifu bait protagonist? Check.
"Badass", hyper-violent dark knight deuteragonist? Check.

Frankly, I don't see much value at all in this. It's like the author didn't know how to establish compelling characters, narrative stakes, or an engrossing setting, so he just dropped in a bunch of gratuitous violence into a stock fantasy anime for shock value. I think someone made the comparison in this thread already, but it's like a shitty 70's exploitation film. Completely uninspired, insipid, and boring. I have no interest in watching further.

Honestly the show is such utterly generic fantasy bullshit I have to assume the rapings and the bit-tittied little girls are the only reason some people watch. Its brainless meme-origins aren't much of a surprise, but still amusing.

Parfait · Oct 29, 2018

jett said:
Honestly the show is such utterly generic fantasy bullshit I have to assume the rapings and the bit-tittied little girls are the only reason some people watch. Its brainless meme-origins aren't much of a surprise, but still amusing.

I'm not a fan of the rape whatsoever and i'm not into big titty, but I otherwise enjoy the show. It's not the worst anime I've seen, or the worst LN i've read, it's servicable and I'm still interested in some of the future worldbuilding.

I mean it's not the best anime, which is Star Ocean EX, but not much can live up to that tbh.

Snack12367 · Oct 29, 2018

I've not seen the show, just been reading the threads and based on that, I've got a question to put by you all. It's potentially loaded, so feel free to adjust.

One of the biggest plot devices in the show is that Goblins are the literal product of rape. They can only exist if they rape a woman. The woman always gives birth goblin, never a hybrid, always full goblin.

Does this seem very similar with some of the Xenophobic rhetoric passed about in Japan? The idea that immigrants are going to come here, rape or corrupt the women and the child the women have will never be accepted as Japanese? Is that part of the reason this is so popular?

sibarraz · Oct 29, 2018

The author knows that is generic shit though, otherwise the characters would have real names instead of their jobs/classes.

At least I like how is using RPG tropes to solve problems without going full "hidden inner power" to win battles. That and the borderline OCD that is the main character with goblins

KarneeKarnay said:
I've not seen the show, just been reading the threads and based on that, I've got a question to put by you all. It's potentially loaded, so feel free to adjust.

One of the biggest plot devices in the show is that Goblins are the literal product of rape. They can only exist if they rape a woman. The woman always gives birth goblin, never a hybrid, always full goblin.

Does this seem very similar with some of the Xenophobic rhetoric passed about in Japan? The idea that immigrants are going to come here, rape or corrupt the women and the child the women have will never be accepted as Japanese? Is that part of the reason this is so popular?

What? in this show the main party is composed of 2 humans, an elf, a dwarve and a lizardman, this is not a pure race fantasy, don't know where you could come out with such a hot take.

cairngorm · Oct 29, 2018

Machachan said:
Goblin Slayer fanatics freaking out over a youtube video that correctly predicted their awful defenses of their rape fetish anime will never cease to be funny.

No, there are only "women shields" because you're reading a rape manga, which delights in showing women sexualized post-rape. In actual reality, human shields would include any captive, including corpses, but the audience doesn't want to see guys in that position, they want to see women. Post-rape women. And so that's what the manga delivers.
Remember, Monster Zero, Goblin Slayer is not a documentary, it's deliberately written that way by an author. And the bias of the author shows through painfully.

Of course, the entire thing you guys are defending falls apart under 2 seconds of scrutiny. If goblins are so dangerous, they would not be underestimated to this level. Adventures would not try to fight them in sexy sexy anime attire, just to be raped for the delight of a drooling audience. The entire idea is bad worldbuilding. In the real world, people living around tigers don't suddenly underestimate tigers just because humans with guns are around. People don't even underestimate the danger of wild *dogs*. Why would people underestimate goblins to this extent? The only people underestimating wild life IRL are people not used to it, such as europeans coming to such areas, after such animals long went extinct in their home countries.

Why would people play alone in the forest in such a world? People didn't even do that in medieval europe out of the danger brigands/wildlife posed, and there were no rape goblins around that only grew stronger the more victims they got!

The entire setup only exists post-fact to justify the raping on display. The writing is not "okay, I have dangerous goblins, what happens", it is "I want goblins raping women, so how do I write this in a way that gives my drooling audience a fig leaf to justify liking it". And it shows.

Especially by the arguments the defenders are using, which includes the classic gamergaty "you saw it, so you're the real sexist/racist", used multiple times in this thread alone.
I'd probably wouldn't even have posted without seeing the usual tryhard anime fans drag these arguments out.

Yeah it's not like the author was held at gunpoint and told to make female goblins not exist. He intentionally wanted a race that can only propagate by raping human women. People gotta be honest with themselves lol.

Monster Zero · Oct 29, 2018

cairngorm said:
Yeah it's not like the author was held at gunpoint and told to make female goblins not exist. He intentionally wanted a race that can only propagate by raping human women. People gotta be honest with themselves lol.

Yes it was intentional. The potential kidnapping and rape of women at the hands of goblins is part of it being a horror story. The main characters backstory is tied to that plot point. If your argument is "well it shouldn't be" then that's your problem not the story.

Z1r2y3 · Oct 29, 2018

An extremely fanservicy anime that revolves around rape has deeper meaning guys cmon!

Seriously how are any of you defending this junk?

TIL Goblin Slayer kinda is Japan's "50 Shades"...

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