Let's Read Fairy Tail OR Zettai Karen Children

Shiho touches the ground and psychometrically sees a couple of guys in the past being killed telekinetically, but she can't see the person doing it. Minamoto says she's too young to be studying a murder, and Dad insists that he knows her best, etc. Shiho touches a car in order to see if it's the killer's car, then gets a vision revealing that he's the same detective assigned to the case! Shiho seems surprised for the first time. The detective notices her expression, realizes what she's realized, and says he'll kill her and make it look like a misfiring gun. The Kaoru appears, and explains that Shiho transmitted her rant to her using her limiter. Apparently they double as walkie-talkies. Kaoru blasts him into the air. Minamoto and Dad arrive looking very worried. Dad gives Shiho a hug and appears to cry a little.

In the car going back to HQ, Shiho explains that despite what Dad said earlier, she had "read" his feelings and knew that he appreciated Minamoto's concern for Shiho. Minamoto tells her that she shouldn't read people's minds like that. She explains that because of her power, she knows that the world can be a scary place, but she knows that Minamoto, her father, Aoi, and Kaoru will be there to protect her. Minamoto remarks that she's "more of an adult" than he is.

This was another good chapter, with some characterization for Shiho and A Day in the Limelight where we get to see what her powers can do. I hope they have a chapter like this for Aoi soon.

Chapter 5: Solitude of a Long-Distance Teleporter

Looks like this is the Aoi chapter I was hoping for. It starts like the last chapter did, with a power explanation and a silly outfit (though Aoi's dress, pearls, and gloves aren't as strange as the other outfits in this serious, they're a bit strange for a 10-year-old). According to the infobox on Aoi's powers, "the distance moved, number of times it can be used, and mass transported are all inversely proportional to one another."

Aoi is doing math homework. Actually, she's explaining Kaoru's and Shiho's math homework to them, and they're not paying attention. Aoi yells at them, and Aoi and Kaoru and about to fight when Minamoto stops them. Aoi gets bitter and claims that Kaoru and Shiho are always getting credit for saving the day even though they rely on her transportation abilities. They say that that was never their intention. Then Minamoto, who's been talking on the phone, tells Aoi that there's an important mission for her to do alone. Seems like a bit of a Contrived Coincidence, but I don't mind that much because I'm interested in seeing what Aoi can do.

Aoi and Minamoto are aboard a plane. Minamoto tells Aoi (who is now wearing a cape in addition to her normal uniform) that she needs to get him and a suitcase full of important documents to the Prime Minister, who's in Stockholm for an international conference, within 5 hours and without "raising any suspicion." Aoi is enthusiastic about the mission, and teleports herself and Aoi out of the plane. They functionally fly for a while using short teleports. Along the way, Minamoto explains that the sun is still shining because it's summer in a very northern latitude, and she remarks that she wishes she could show this to Kaoru and Shiho. Minamoto remarks that she wasn't getting along with them earlier, and Aoi says that it doesn't really matter who gets the credit. She opens up a bit and reveals something about herself:

Around the time her powers started to develop, her father's company was doing badly and her little brother was sick, and she briefly thought she'd been "sold to BABEL". However, she decided to stay with The Children even after her family's situation improved (she doesn't say why). She explains that when Kaoru and Shiho seemed to be getting more attention than her, it reminded her of how she'd felt. Minamoto is understanding about it, and tells her to explain this to Kaoru and Shiho, and she agrees.

Weird thing I just noticed: Aoi and Minamoto look oddly similar: same black hair, same little glasses, same markings under their eyes. I'm not sure if this is deliberate or just an issue with the artist.

edited 22nd Jan '10 2:50:51 PM by silver2195

It's weird being the only one posting in a topic. Maybe I should link to this thread in my signature or something to attract more readers.

Kaoru and Minamoto encounter a couple of airplanes. The planes look rather Zeerusty, and I wonder vaguely about the full implications of the 20 Minutes into the Future setting: surely psychics and advanced camouflage suits aren't the only things different from today?

A voice from one of the planes demands to let them "escort" Aoi and Minamoto to the planes' base, because it's illegal for psychics to be in this airspace. Minamoto tells them to "check with the consulate" (Where are they, anyway? Apparently not in Japan, but the guy from the plane speaks a language Minamoto can understand).

Minamoto tells Aoi to keep going because they don't have enough time to let themselves be detained. The planes fire at them, Aoi gets Hot-Blooded, and Minamoto lets her drop him off in a field because he's slowing her down. Minamoto says she's doing well. Aoi goes back to the air and gets out of range of the planes.

Aoi reaches the Prime Minister's hotel room Stockholm 2 minutes before the midnight deadline, and gives the suitcase to the Prime Minister (who has an odd lack of Mukoseki characteristics). He thanks her, and the MacGuffin is revealed to be...a special pillow to help him sleep! Amusing, but a bit of Moral Dissonance when you consider that Aoi and Minamoto got shot at to deliver that.

The Children are back at HQ, watching the Prime Minister on TV. Minamoto says the PM is going to send The Children a reward, and wonders why he's sending it to all three of them. Aoi says it's because they're a team. Minamoto wonders (not aloud) why the PM has bandages on his face... That sounds more like Kaoru's typical behavior than Aoi's, but the PM really deserved that.

Another good chapter. I'm really coming to like this series.

Really? Already? I always thought that the early chapters were sort of boring but it Grows the Beard later. I wonder whether that means you'll think it's even better or if you'll be disappointed with the direction it takes.

edited 24th Jan '10 12:05:32 AM by Clarste

Chapter 6: My Home

I'm not going into as much detail for this chapter as I did earlier. Frankly, I don't like this one very much. It has more Fanservice than plot, and Kaoru reverts back to the behavior that I complained about in the first chapter.

Potentially important plot points:

• Kaoru's mother and sister seem to be rather slutty but otherwise nice people.
• The identities of The Children need to be kept secret, so Kaoru's family needs to move whenever she blows her cover too blatantly (which she does in this chapter by destroying an entire Yakuza syndicate).
• Kaoru gets annoyed when her mother and sister flirt with Minamoto.
• Kaoru accuses her family of not giving her enough attention, but this is mainly due to the awkwardness of dealing with a kid so much more powerful than yourself.
• Minamoto talks Kaoru into being less of a jerk to her family.

edited 24th Jan '10 11:52:30 AM by silver2195

Chapter 7: A Normal Enemy — First Half

Kaoru tests something called an ECM by attacking a tank. She is repelled by a force field.

Aoi asks what an ECM is, and Minamoto explains that it's a device that can "jam" Psychic Powers, plus a bunch of Techno Babble about how it works. Apparently it's powerful, since it was able to stop a Level 7. It looks like a satellite dish attached to a tank. Minamoto explains that if EC Ms become common, there will be less tension between Espers and Normals because Espers will no longer be so much more powerful than everyone else in ordinary situations. Kaoru is still uncomfortable with the idea. He explains that there's another reason why EC Ms are a good idea, but it's time for another mission before Kaoru and Shiho give him a chance to explain.

The mission is to stop "a drunken fight between high-level Espers". Guess that's another reason powerful Anti-Magic like the ECM is a good idea. Kaoru defeats both guys with a single attack (not very "high-level" after all, I guess). Minamoto is putting Power Limiters on them when Shiho touches one of them and realizes that they aren't actually Espers; their fight was just special effects. A group of guys with guns show up, introducing themselves as "The Normal People". Turns out they're an anti-Esper terrorist group that faked the fight to lure them there. They want to capture, "interrogate", and kill The Children.

The Children expect an easy fight, but Kaoru can't use her powers, because they have an ECM. Minamoto wonders how they got it, and the chapter ends with an implied To Be Continued.

I'm reserving judgment on this chapter until after I read the next one.

edited 26th Jan '10 6:31:34 PM by silver2195

Chapter 8: A Normal Enemy — Second Half

The Children are all wearing the anti-Esper handcuffs. Aoi says that they shouldn't fight now; they should "wait until the terrorists let down their guard." Kaoru attacks one of the terrorists anyway. (Did I mention they dress like Men In Black, but with dark eye-concealing visors? Compared to everyone else in this comic, they've got great fashion sense.)

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been pretty busy with Real Life.

The terrorist lifts Kaoru into the air and holds her at arm's length. Shiho threatens him with some sort of terrible torment once she gets her powers back if he hurts Kaoru. This is the first time they really show The Children's "devil" tendencies. Aoi lectures Shiho about not provoking the kidnappers.

Kaoru is taken to another room, where Minamoto is. He's tied to a chair and looks injured. A terrorist sitting at a desk gives Minamoto a choice: tell him the password to his laptop so he can get a list of the Special Service Espers, or Kaoru gets tortured.

Things are looking grim for our heroes. I hope the author finds a way to save them without Deus ex Machina.

The guy at the desk says that he has no moral qualms about what he's doing because he doesn't see Espers as human. Minamoto gives in and says that the password is "Save The Children". The Password Is Always "Swordfish", eh? But it's a trick! That was the password to delete the files and turn off the Anti-Magic devices but activating Esper Counter Counter Measures (ECCM)! Go Minamoto!

Kaoru easily defeats the Mooks. Minamoto explains that BABEL was active in ECM research in order to defeat =EC Ms=. The leader orders the Mooks to increase ECM output. The ECCM runs out of power, but Kaoru blasts through the ECM when Minamoto is about to get hit by a bullet. Kaoru says she'll kill the Mooks (she has a "devil" side too), but Minamoto says they're not worth it. Kaoru ends her scary Unstoppable Rage and cries. The chapter ends with the terrorists tied up and undergoing a Humiliation Conga.

The last two chapters were pretty good. It would have been nice if there was more explanation for how the terrorists got the ECM, but maybe it will be explained in a later chapter.

Chapter 9: Corrupter 1

Is anyone other than Clarste actually reading this liveblog?

The Children (mostly Kaoru) stop a wildfire. Kaoru makes a "joke" about enjoying blowing things up that disturbs Minamoto. A mysterious-looking Bishōnen standing nearby says to himself, "How interesting. Just what I'd expect from my 'queen.'" It's a black-and-white manga so it's hard to tell, but I suspect he's a White-Haired Pretty Boy.

BABEL HQ. Kiritsubo congratulates The Children. They comment on the mission, and Shiho notes that the firefighters seemed jealous/afraid of them. Kiritsubo orders Oboro to make heat-resistant uniforms (Aoi's idea) and lodge a formal complaint with the fire department. Minamoto points out that he's overreacting a bit, and Kiritsubo yells at him. Kaoru slams Kiritsubo and Minamoto into the wall (how much does BABEL spend on wall repair?).

Minamoto is practicing shooting at a target, presumably so he won't be a Non-Action Guy forever. He's a pretty good shot already. His Internal Monologue is full of angst about the "angels or demons" thing.

Yay, mysterious White-Haired Pretty Boy! He ends up being one of my favorite characters. I really can't remember anything about the order of events though, so I'm not sure how long it'll take to get to that point.

Minamoto has a flashback from something in the "Short-Term Serial" chapters (which I hadn't realized were supposed to be canon, and which I will go back and do after I finish this chapter): an adult Kaoru telling him to shoot her ("Even if I die, the other Espers won't stop fighting").

His angst is interrupted by the White-Haired Pretty Boy, who is also at the shooting range for some reason. He tells Minamoto (whose name he somehow knows) that I-Gou's predictions aren't perfectly accurate (referring to another event from the "Short-Term Serial" chapters, one which he has no way of knowing about.) Minamoto asks how White Hair knows this stuff, which even telepathy shouldn't be able to reveal. White Hair says he knows I-Gou's "tricks". He tells Minamoto that he can thwart the prediction by killing The Children.

I'm starting to worry that White Hair will turn out to be one of those villains who is enigmatic and sinister all the time but lacks a consistent motivation, like Kabuto from Naruto. Do we have a trope for that? Hidden Agenda Villain comes close.

Minamoto is shocked, but White Hair says Minamoto could easily kill The Children if he wanted to. Minamoto grabs White Hair by the shirt. White Hair says he was only joking and vanishes into thin air. He can read minds without even touching someone and teleport too? That might make him one of the Level 8 Espers I predicted on the first page if this thread.

Kiritsubo explains to Minamoto that White Hair is Kyosuke Hyobu, "the worst felon in Esper criminal history" (who just happens to be Japanese). He's supposed to be in a special prison constructed just to hold him. He's 80 years old but stays young using yet another psychic power. Kiritsubo interviews him, apparently still in his cell. Kyosuke says there's no way he could have left the cell, but Kiritsubo says he's done it before.

Kiritsubo explains that Kyosuke is a "Composite-type" Esper, with a mix of different abilities. The full list of his powers and their levels are unknown. He asks Kyosuke what he wants with The Children. "I want one them to be my future bride," he explains. Minamoto and Kiritsubo are Squicked.

Cut to The Children discussing their plans for dinner. And the chapter ends.

So Kyosuke has a motivation after all. It's not very consistent with his suggestion the Minamoto should kill The Children, though. Then again, maybe he really was joking when he said that. Or maybe he lied to Kiritsubo. Or maybe... This guy really is mysterious.

A bit of Fridge Logic: if Kyosuke is the worst Esper criminal in history, why wasn't he executed? Has Japan abolished the death penalty 20 Minutes into the Future?

Zettai Karen Children Short Term Edition [Chapter -4]: We're Not Angels

The real first chapter. It begins with the familiar exposition about the 21st century, Espers, and the characters.

The Children pursue a robber/terrorist with Level 5 Teleporter powers working for a group called The Brutes. Kaoru is about to attack him with Car Fu, but Minamoto stops her with her Power Limiter. He then captures the criminal himself with anti-Esper handcuffs. The Children are angry at him for stealing their kills...er, they mean capture, of couse; they didn't really mean to kill them, right? Minamoto doesn't seem convinced. Kaoru slams him into a wall for talking about rules. Aoi and Shiho, to their credit, tell her not to be so mean.

We have the same gag from the "other" first chapter where Kiritsubo is unwilling to discipline the girls. After the girls leave the room, Kiritsubo tells Minamoto that the girls were supposed to write essays about their "dreams for the future", but claimed not to have any. Kiritsubo thinks that something must be done to make the girls more happy and less apathetic, but Minamoto says they probably did it as a joke (which it's easy to see Kaoru, at least, doing).

The examination room. Another scene also repeated in "Chapter 1".

edited 5th Feb '10 5:20:09 PM by silver2195

Flashback to Oboro telling Minamoto how The Children have gotten a raw deal in the past and asking him to become their supervisor.

Minamoto recalls that he wanted to do research, not be a "babysitter". Shiho reads his mind, and there's another of this series's stock jokes about Kaoru thinking Minamoto is a Lolicon. The examination is interrupted when Minamoto learns that the teleporter got away (how?).

Inside the helicopter, The Children discuss whether they should rewrite their essays. Their conversation is interrupted by the news that the teleporter has been found.

There's a pretty neat chase scene here. Aoi is a better teleporter, but the bad guy has a motorcycle. They chase him to a railway tunnel (he must be pretty Genre Blind). He lets The Children capture him rather than get run over by a train. He then begs them to let him go, saying they're Not So Different. Minamoto shows up and gives a Shut Up, Hannibal! speech, in which he says that people have the power to choose their own futures. The Children are happy, and Minamoto decides he doesn't mind being a "babysitter".

Back at HQ. Kiritsubo tells Minamoto that the girls have rewritten their essays, saying that they intend to Take Over the World in 10 years. From later chapters is clear they're not serious.

In the abstract this chapter wouldn't be so bad, but it's way too similar to the "other" first chapter.

Next: "Children of Tomorrow"

edited 7th Feb '10 7:15:29 AM by silver2195

Sorry I haven't updated this in a while.

Short Term Edition [Chapter -3]: Children of Tomorrow

The Children forcefully wake Minamoto up and demand that he make them breakfast. Minamoto complains about them bossing him around in his own house like it's theirs, but they plead that they live too far away. Kiritsubo shows up and says there's an emergency mission for them. Do they ever have non-emergency missions?

The problem turns out to be a rock slide near a road. After whining a bit, The Children deal with the problem. Aoi transports people, Kaoru moves away rubble, and Shiho checks people for injuries.

Minamoto tells Kiritsubo kids shouldn't be doing dangerous stuff. Kiritsubo says that they can't let those powers go to waste and that The Children's powers would work against them by making people afraid if they had ordinary lives.

edited 11th Feb '10 1:55:36 PM by silver2195

The Children finish the job, but Aoi's attempt to teleport away gets her stuck half-inside a wall. It turns out that one of the women they just rescued is pregnant with a teleporter, whose power is interfering with Aoi's.

Minamoto contacts The Children using their Limiters. Shiho says the baby will die from power overuse in an hour unless something is done. Minamoto asks for a moment to think. Kaoru doesn't give him one; she tries to find a way to get out of the area they're in without using Aoi's power, and decides that the best way is to use her powers and missiles from BABEL's helicopter to destroy the rocks barring the way. Aoi and Shiho somehow agree that this is a good idea. (To their credit, they really believe they're acting in the best interest of the mother and baby.) It actually works.

Minamoto is angry at The Children for disobeying orders and being reckless. He later thinks he might have been too harsh on them.

This was sort of an unnecessary chapter. It wasn't exactly bad, though.

Things I'd like to see addressed in later chapters but probably won't be (not specific to this chapter):

• What's it like for Espers in countries other than Japan?
• The geopolitical implications of the 20 Minutes into the Future setting. We're told that Espers are important to the international balance of power, but unless you count Aoi going to Copenhagen (or was it Geneva?) to deliver a MacGuffin, there haven't been any storylines about international politics.
• Why was Kyosuke sent to a Cardboard Prison instead of executed?

Short Term Edition [Chapter -2]: Children of Tomorrow, Part 1

A teacher is explaining the usual stuff about Espers. One of the students says he thinks Espers are "gross". He gets ripped apart by telekinesis...but he's actually a robot!

Turns out it was just a simulation testing Kaoru's readiness for normal school. This explains something Minamoto said way back in "The Invisible Guardian, Part 1". Minamoto yells at her as usual, she comes up with silly rationalizations for her behavior as usual (she knew it wasn't a real person, but she's not exactly inspiring confidence in her ability to get along with real people). They're interrupted by a blackout, followed by a Main Screen Turn On (Edit: How is that still a red link?).

edited 14th Feb '10 7:38:15 PM by silver2195

It's the Normal People (remember them?). Through the "student" robots (which they've somehow hijacked), they announce their goal of exiling all Espers. Kaoru attacks the robots (giving us a Panty Shot of her in the process. Was that really necessary?), but Minamoto says they're too expensive to destroy. Kiritsubo thinks otherwise and attacks the robots with what appears to be a sledgehammer. Oboro shows up and reveals that she has a computer program to stop this. Kiritsubo explains that the precogs anticipated this attack and orders Minamoto to get Aoi and Shiho.

Cut to The Children and Minamoto on an "uninhabited government-owned island". They play around in the water for a while. Kiritsubo shows up and explains that there's a Level 7 precog on this island. He says that, while The Children are the only Level 7 humans in Japan, this guy isn't human. (It's odd that he seems to have forgotten Kyosuke, but since Kyosuke's actual level is unknown this isn't completely illogical.)

edited 15th Feb '10 1:56:47 PM by silver2195

I've decided to quit this liveblog, since almost no one is reading it and I don't enjoy updating it. I will continue to read Zettai Karen Children, though.

Oh, that's sad. I wouldn't want you to do anything pointlessly unpleasant though. I often wonder how many times someone's perspective on a series changes because they force themselves to liveblog it.

I sort of changed my mind. I won't post summaries any more, but I'll sometimes muse about the series here.

Read through Chapter 32 (Girlfriends 1). Kaoru's creepy behavior actually makes more sense now; it was half an act and half a hobby. Or Was It? It's sort of left up to Alternate Character Interpretation.

I like Kaoru more, but I do have one issue with this series: the plot doesn't seem to be going anywhere. It seems that, despite Kyosuke's stated goals, his real Evil Plan seems to amount to "mess with Minamoto's mind for the lulz".

What do you think his stated goals are? As far as I can tell, his overall plan is to drive a wedge between Minamoto and the girls so they grow up not trusting Normals and become the leaders of his esper revolution. Messing with Minamoto's head is part of that.

The whole plot is basically about the girls growing up to be either good or evil, and this manifests as the conflict between two parent figures. Minamoto's the strict father who scolds them when they're bad and shows his love awkwardly while Hyoubu is the nice uncle who spoils them by giving them whatever they want on the rarer occasions when he meets them. Hyoubu's trying to tip the scale towards his side, thus he tries to make Minamoto look and feel bad, unconfident, etc. Also part of this is publicly Petting The Dog whenever possible and making BABEL appear incompetent or corrupt, not that helping espers in general isn't also one of his goals.

The plot is kind of... long term though.

edited 22nd Feb '10 11:35:56 PM by Clarste

That makes sense, I guess. But as you say, it's pretty long-term.

Read through Esper of the Wasteland 1. Apparently 20 Minutes into the Future, the US is still in Afghanistan. I said I wanted to see storylines about international politics, but I wasn't expecting it to be so Ripped from the Headlines.

In Esper of the Wasteland 2, Kyosuke says, "I go anywhere my interest leads me. I do anything I want to do." This supports my theory that he mostly does things for the lulz rather than as part of an actual plan.