Story Arcs

[Rynnec]

Sounds like Togashi pulled a Hannibal Rising on his publisher.

If Hannibal Rising was a big "fuck you" to the author's editorial staff, then yes, that's what Togashi essentially did. But the downside is that it was also a "fuck you" to fans of YYH.

Allegedly, the film producers begged Thomas Harris to write a Silence of the Lambs sequel, so he wrote Hannibal to be as stupid as possible in hopes that it would kill interest in the series. However, they were able to salvage the movie adaptation more or less, and again they begged him to write a prequel. He refused, but they said they'd just get someone else to write it if he wouldn't, and thus the abomination that is Hannibal Rising was born.

I could have sworn that you explained this scenario somewhere else on the board a long time ago.

...we've entered an endless recursion of time!!

The Wheel of Fate is turning...

[Dr. Insomniac]

Sounds like Togashi pulled a Hannibal Rising on his publisher.

If Hannibal Rising was a big "fuck you" to the author's editorial staff, then yes, that's what Togashi essentially did. But the downside is that it was also a "fuck you" to fans of YYH.

Allegedly, the film producers begged Thomas Harris to write a Silence of the Lambs sequel, so he wrote Hannibal to be as stupid as possible in hopes that it would kill interest in the series. However, they were able to salvage the movie adaptation more or less, and again they begged him to write a prequel. He refused, but they said they'd just get someone else to write it if he wouldn't, and thus the abomination that is Hannibal Rising was born.

I could have sworn that you explained this scenario somewhere else on the board a long time ago.

...we've entered an endless recursion of time!!

The Wheel of Fate is turning...

[talonmalon333]

Maybe Togashi should've just found a way to end YYH with Chapter Black.

That's what he wanted to do, but the higher ups at Shonen Jump made him continue, so in retaliation he consciously sabotaged his manga with the Three Kings arc in order to get it canned.

I know. I just said that out of being miserable.

Still, I wonder how YYH would've ended if Chapter Black was the final season. I think that could make for a good discussion here.

I think the only big difference would have been Raizen's removal from the story. Otherwise the arc would have been unchanged.

As it is though, I don't think the ending would have been as good unless Yusuke voluntarily left his home and came back again. If it had ended at Chapter Black we probably wouldn't have gotten that.

Well without Raizen, the ending would be quite different. Yusuke wouldn't be a demon and therefore couldn't be revived that way.

[Foggle]

Sounds like Togashi pulled a Hannibal Rising on his publisher.

If Hannibal Rising was a big "fuck you" to the author's editorial staff, then yes, that's what Togashi essentially did. But the downside is that it was also a "fuck you" to fans of YYH.

Allegedly, the film producers begged Thomas Harris to write a Silence of the Lambs sequel, so he wrote Hannibal to be as stupid as possible in hopes that it would kill interest in the series. However, they were able to salvage the movie adaptation more or less, and again they begged him to write a prequel. He refused, but they said they'd just get someone else to write it if he wouldn't, and thus the abomination that is Hannibal Rising was born.

I could have sworn that you explained this scenario somewhere else on the board a long time ago.

Probably.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Maybe Togashi should've just found a way to end YYH with Chapter Black.

That's what he wanted to do, but the higher ups at Shonen Jump made him continue, so in retaliation he consciously sabotaged his manga with the Three Kings arc in order to get it canned.

I know. I just said that out of being miserable.

Still, I wonder how YYH would've ended if Chapter Black was the final season. I think that could make for a good discussion here.

I think the only big difference would have been Raizen's removal from the story. Otherwise the arc would have been unchanged.

As it is though, I don't think the ending would have been as good unless Yusuke voluntarily left his home and came back again. If it had ended at Chapter Black we probably wouldn't have gotten that.

Well without Raizen, the ending would be quite different. Yusuke wouldn't be a demon and therefore couldn't be revived that way.

Basically, I bet it would have ended much differently. But to end the whole thing there would require a lot of tampering.

[gunswordfist]

Kurama's backstory reveal wouldn't have been possible without The Three Kings arc...Hell, Hiei's either because he'd have no reason to tell the team that.

[The Shadow Gentleman]

I'm rewatching Spectacular Spider-Man, and I was wondering which story arc are called which.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I'm rewatching Spectacular Spider-Man, and I was wondering which story arc are called which.

All I can really post is this, but I think the titles should make it pretty obvious which arc each one is referring to.

[The Shadow Gentleman]

I'm rewatching Spectacular Spider-Man, and I was wondering which story arc are called which.

All I can really post is this, but I think the titles should make it pretty obvious which arc each one is referring to.

Thanks! I was aware that's where the names came from. 

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, are myself, Cartoon X, and Grave the only people who have any favorites? There's nobody else? I mean, part of why I start these threads is because I'm honestly curious what other people think, and its a good way for me to find out new stuff to watch that I haven't seen before, but I suppose none of you guys like story arcs that much.

Oh well, I still have a bunch of honorable mentions that I can list, but I'm really thinking of writing some full articles for story arcs that I love, while also maybe picking apart story arcs that I think were kind of mixed or even bad, but had the potential to be great. I mean, I haven't written any articles in a while, so maybe I'll give it a shot at some point in time.

[Foggle]

I honestly don't have that many favorite story arcs in animation, and I have nothing to really say about them, but I'll post mine I guess. Three of them are also on your list, E-K.

5. Fujiyama Gangster Paradise (Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage)
4. The Laughing Man (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)
3. Human Development 101 (Spectacular Spider-Man)
2. Ending Day By Day (Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid)
1. Whatever The Story Arc Is Called (Cowboy Bebop)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Cool!

I'm surprised you didn't list anything from Fate/Zero, but maybe that's a more episodic series.

I'm also surprised you didn't list any of the Higurashi stories (at least from the first season or Kai), but I guess you did seem to be less interested in that series after all of the subsequent stuff sucked balls, I suppose.

[Foggle]

Well, the Massacre Chapter from Higurashi Kai would probably be my number 6. I suppose you could also put the entire runs of Fate/Zero, Baccano!, and Monster on there, if you want.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, another interesting thing to talk about is bad or lackluster story-arcs. Here are some that I can think of off the top of my head:

-Every arc after the Soul Society arc (and I'm not even a fan of that arc, but at least I can say that it was readable/watchable).

-Way too many arcs from Naruto to name.

-Greed Island from Hunter X Hunter isn't really a bad arc, but its kind of boring and really goes nowhere.

-The first 3rd of the Chimera Ant arc from Hunter X Hunter makes me ask the question: Just what the hell kind of anti-psychotics was Togashi on when he was writing this part of the manga? Whatever it was, it should come with the Black Box label that warns you that if you are a comic book artist, it could have the potential side effect of making you write extremely stupid situations with tons of unnecessary brutality towards killing off minor or supporting characters for no particular reason other than to be edgy in the worst way possible. That, and it'll cause your art-work to suck more than usual, as well.

-The Fishman Island arc from One Piece is the arc you would get if the heroes were on top of everything and were so overpowered compared to the opposition that they basically had nothing to worry about the whole time and the whole story revolving around them would basically just become an utter, meaningless joke. And that's what this arc really is: meaningless....and also god-awfully boring and lacking in personality and substance.

-Hansel and Gretel from Black Lagoon: Why does this even exist?

-The World Tour episodes from Digimon Adeventure 02: No meaningful plot development and racial stereotypes to the max! Hooray?....

[Foggle]

-Hansel and Gretel from Black Lagoon: Why does this even exist?

Honestly, I've grown to like it on repeat viewings. It doesn't jive with the rest of the series at all in any way, but it's an interesting watch IMO. That said, I'd like it more if Hiroe hadn't given up on the manga for 3+ years, so we had tons more Black Lagoon stories to enjoy. Then it might've worked better, I dunno.

(Oh, and Black Lagoon is finally back, btw! Chapter 83 just came out.)