Maou VS Yuusha-Cliche Obsession

[CarlManvers2019]

This is something I notice with a number of anime/manga and LN

Particularly the “deconstruction/parody” ones

Is it me or the sort of premise constantly being “deconstructed” and “parodied” in the first place isn’t so common to begin with these days in Japan

And both the main antagonist and protagonist go under different names and titles

Hell, I’m pretty sure there are lots of fantasy series which already involve the race of “demons” being more complex and even outright sympathetic or working with the heroes or being of service even

Or are they only “deconstructing/parodying” Dragon Quest?

 

[Arch Dornan]

Particularly the “deconstruction/parody” ones

Personally a videogame did the parody way much better. It's all generic but it was done right.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Personally a videogame did the parody way much better. It's all generic but it was done right.

Where’s the guy with the purple gem headband?

 

[Arch Dornan]

Where’s the guy with the purple gem headband?

Purple gem headband?

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Purple gem headband?

Yeah, it’s something I notice

The parody “Yuusha” looks like one of the earlier Dragon Quest MC’s

Makes me wonder if they ever played other Fantasy games

 

[Arch Dornan]

Yeah, it’s something I notice

The parody “Yuusha” looks like one of the earlier Dragon Quest MC’s

Makes me wonder if they ever played other Fantasy games

The people who made it were from Square before the mergers so they were Final Fantasy veterans.

 

[Doomsought]

I think Superior and Maoyuu Maou Yuusha have an interesting contrast to each-other by taking this concept in the exact opposite directions.


Superior uses the emotional argument, the demon queen is not intelligent, in fact she is outright vapid. However she is also extremely powerful, but cannot bring herself to kill the Hero for the emotions he inspires in her.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha is the opposite in every way except for the goal of the argument. Where in Superior it is the Hero that wants to reconcile the Demon races and Human, in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha it is the demon queen. The Demon queen is incredibly intelligent, and she makes arguments for peace based on economics and other intellectual appeals. The demon queen is also relatively weak in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha unlike the demon Queen from Superior.

Ultimately I prefer Superior because the cast is made of much deeper, more conflicted and original characters as opposed to Maoyuu Maou Yuusha which relies more heavily on archetypes.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Thanks, that said, what I sorta feel is that the creators of these “parodies” look to ignore how most pieces of fiction

Already have what amount to “demon races” being on good guys’ side or being neutral or just passerby’s

Not all Fantasy Worlds are basically about a good guy fighting against an Evil “Demon Lord” and his entire race of evil monsters

I’d prefer something like an Elder Scrolls Online-esque conflict

Where the MC is part of a two or threeway war to decide who rules the continent and there’s some politicking and side switching and alliances made every now and then against greater threats