While there's issue with the story, I think its overall fine, it was interesting enough that I read it in one day. If anything I'd prefer if their was no sex in the story and the focus remained on the development of Chiyoung's and Baekhan's relationship.
The pacing however is extremely odd and reading the latest chapters of season 2 is how I figured out that this was adapting a novel. ( on closer look, its in every chapter's title card but i wasn't paying attention) The author adapting the story has trouble on what they want to subtract vs what to focus on from the original story. Season 2 feels like its about to be wrapped up with 15 chapters released vs the 50 chapters it took to build up season 1. Mind you, the original has over 200 chapters. Not sure whats the point of adapting a novel then moving a break neck pace.
No wonder why so many characters backstories didnt feel fleshed out and the rapid development of entire arcs.
This manga is a fun read......but the minute you turn your brain on and start asking questions the world building falls flat for me. This gonna be a long comment so be ready for that.
Even after 60+ chapters, I dont understand why being a Talker is met with such contempt. With all the rpg elements littered throughout the story, I dont understand the disregardment for the Talker class...sure they have no clear cut combative abilities of their own, but what does that matter if they're supplying the team with substantial buffs? Its not like Seekers operate in 1-Man parties. I guess having a pure support member in your party early on in your career seems to be more of having deadweight since they're an extra person to worry about in addition to yourself. Not sure if thats made clear in the webnovel, but thats not case for the manga.... Which is kinda surprising( or not) with the way exposition is handled. (Not great, makes no sense to be having dialogue with Noel about the way of the world when he already knows it and it just serves to provide information for the reader. Thanks for the info, I guess, but the way its presented leaves a lot to be desired.)
Noel feels like an amalgamation of the perfect revenge mc....but he lowkey doesnt earn the right to act the way he does.... His parents died young(we dont know why, and I doubt its important as he doesn't think of them or maybe its mentioned in the novel in the distant future), while bullied for being weak, his grandfather is there to take care of his bullies and trained by said grandfather for 4 years.....The most tragic part of his back story is the level 12 abyss opening in his hometown and leading to the death of his grandfather.....None of this points to the Noel we have that is ruthless, merciless, and manipulative(his ambition is one of his positive qualities)... Yes he wants to live up to OverDeath's legacy (naming conventions is another problem in this manga), but is some of the actions he takes necessary?
Also....something I find funny is that the story can be simplified into "Noel genius 4d chessmaster, everyone else struggling to grasp the rules of checkers" what is with this intelligence imbalance? (Yes talkers have the highest intelligence amongst all the classes, doesnt excuse the fact that Noel has yet to meet his match in terms of wit). I personally feel like theres no stakes in the story as Noel doesn't really struggle, his biggest adversary is time. I'm never made to feel that Noel isnt going to get his way or he needs to work super hard to achieve his goal....its practically handed to him with elementary manipulation tatics. The dialouge, nor his domineering attitude feel sharp or intimidating during times he negotiating with an opposing party.
The main difference between this and other stories with dungeon crawling, party formation, rpg class elements is that the main MC is a short pretty boy with long hair vs your standard self insert mc that's tall, with an average face and black hair.
Am I expecting too much from a power fantasy?
He was bullied in the village because everyone thought he was cursed. Him being weak probably didn’t help, but it wasn’t the main reason. I don’t know about you, but I’d be a bit bitter towards the world if a whole village thought I was cursed because my hero of a grandfather killed a lot of monsters and my parents died young, then my grandfather died to save such people… His disposition could also be a result of how he was trained. We didn’t get much detail about that, and we didn’t really see how he acted during that time and before he became a seeker. This could have been how his grandfather taught him to fight as a talker.
I’m on chapter 45, and his status as a talker isn’t really met with outright contempt. It’s just the weakest class objectively speaking. It has virtually no combat ability when combat oriented jobs are understandably held in high regard. Noel wants to be the strongest seeker, but you can’t do that with the job that he has. That’s just the facts. The main issues people tend to have in regards to him being a talker are the missed potential, and him being mouthy to people who could realistically kill him with a punch. His actions don’t match his class. It’s like some scrawny kid mouthing off to a heavy weight like it’s nothing. People here do understand the value of his support as multiple people have tried to recruit him, but it’s also easy to look down on a non combat class because these people seem to be used to getting things done with their fists, and well… what are they gonna do about it? Fight back? Also, it’s been said that a lot of talkers can’t support the same way he does by reading both his comrades and the enemies to give appropriate orders and buffs. What he does is said to be incredibly difficult, so he is definitely above average compared to other talkers. If every talker was as skilled with their abilities as he is, they would for sure be more valued. Compared to other comics with a similar ‘weakest ability’ setup, he has far better treatment and is more accepted. He’s not outright discriminated against, and strong people even become jealous of him.
That’s how I’ve interpreted things so far at least. I wanted to catch up before I formed an opinion on the other things you brought up
Its so unfortunate that Taehan and Danwoo is endgame. ╥﹏╥
Please let the side stories between Bae Yonwoo and Woori eat like it does between Woori and Danwoo
I knew there was a catch! Took 19 chapters, but they final showed Guwon's true colors!
I've seen this before. Jaemin is waiting for you in the States. Remember Taeshin. Haewon gotta get out of the trap and fuck over Woojin
The story is alright, turn your brain off, dont ask questions, and enjoy the sex scenes.....but this is one of the stories where I think the sex should've take a back seat.
Spoilers below.
The side stories will probably focus on the development of Jitae's and Mieum's relationship, but I'm more interested in Jian and Soryeon.
I find it so baffaling that Jitae wasnt allowed to be raised by his mother, she was kicked out of the main house to live seperately whereas a mistress was allowed to live marital home in her stead. She was legally married to Jitae's father, so even if Jian was Yoonkang's biological first son, its crazy how he wasnt taken away, while Soryeon was put up in a separate apartment to live a luxurious life.
Hopefully that gets addressed, but I gets its one of the plot holes needed for the plot to function. Also insane that she was prostituting and physical abusing Jian just to further her own goals. The character that was going through it the most was him.
Majjip packed so many plotlines into Jian’s story that it honestly needed a whole season to resolve. How did the Jin and Jian relationship even become this twisted? Suryeon went from controlling Jian into a “perfect” child under pressure to forcing him into selling his body, what did Jian do to lose her trust like that?
The deal between Jian and Hajoon mentioned in episodes 18,19 was never brought up again. And what about the plan? And what about Jian plant that brown-haired man as Jitae’s bodyguard? Is he important or nah? Like if Jian not that important character, she don’t need to put that many plot into him and fuck it like that, Jian should have whole season
There are way too many unanswered questions, yet Majjip chose the most underwhelming way to end it.
As for Jin, his character was basically thrown away. It feels like Majjip had no idea how to handle someone like him, he was supposed to be cruel character (it’s on the profile), but ended up acting like a joke.
I can’t even turn off my brains,
It’s obvious Majjip had ideas, but it really feels like she just lost interest halfway through, ugh.
Someone replied to me, but I edited the post due to mistakes and now their reply is gone. T-T. Never knew that could happen
Nvm, i refreshed the page
I agree that a seperate season is definitely needed to explaine
the twisted relationship between Jin and Jian.
Its implied that Suryeon has been abusing Jian since as long as he could remember. Suryeon always viewed him as tool to further her own agenda, she only treats him "well" if it benefits her in some way. She's the one that tells Hajoon to turn him into a drug addict and the one flashback he has while having sex with Jin is of him being raped by middle-aged business men. Men Suryeon probably sold him too. I doubt their relationship has anything to do with Jian losing her trust, cuz the way she speaks to him and about him is vile even before she finds out of his betrayal.
As for the brown haired guard, he's the one that lets Mi-eum leave to meet Mr.Yang to set a trap for Suryeon. He plays stupid when Jitae is questioning the guards for how could Mi-eum leave while they're there.
If anything, Majjip's problem is that a side character became more interesting the MC and ML. The story is confusing at first until all the relationship threads are established, then all the interesting things happening in the story surrounds Jian. Mi-eum is just a pretty, bleeding heart prisoner, the only interesting thing about him is that he's the son of Jitae's kidnapper.
To me, a lot of the unanswered questions are practically plot holes that I'm kinda surprised went unnoticed. The biggest being Suryeon herself. I was under the impression that she was Baek Manshik's bio daughter with the way she was throwing her weight around and the amount of power she held in Baek Corporation. Imagine my surprise to find out she was practically somebody off the street that managed to find an in into the Baek family. Its bonkers how she was able to pass Jian as the first son with no relation to Yoonkang. Even more baffling that Yoonkang had a mistress when with the little thats shown of him, he looks like he adores Park So-Eun.
It’s not just Jian, Majjip overuses Suryeon to drive drama, yet resolves her too easily, like everything ending just because Jian exposes her crimes.
The love square between Suryeon, Yoonkang, and Soeun is also poorly handled. Yoonkang gets suddenly whitewashed despite his toxic behavior, including manipulating Jian and disrespecting his pregnant wife. Their family dynamics were clearly dysfunctional, but never properly explored.
The child trafficking plot, where the Baek family “adopts” orphans and turns them into slaves, is also brushed aside, even though Jin and Hajoon are victims. Even Blackmail Jin with his real parents!
Overall, CMAR had potential, but Majjip focuses more on fanservice for the main couple than properly developing the heavy drama she introduced.