Everything about this is amazing! ...but the name Rusty definitely broke the fantasy a tiny bit for me. That was the name of the redneck kid who went from emo in Tripp pants to ROTC kid in middle school...kinda kills my lady boner.
Everything about this is amazing! ...but the name Rusty definitely broke the fantasy a tiny bit for me. That was the name of the redneck kid who went from emo in Tripp pants to ROTC kid in middle school...kinda kills my lady boner.
Goddamn my beautifully stupid brain. As soon as my brain read the name “Rusty” it could not help itself but to give the poor guy the most backwoods, hicktown, hillbilly, heehawin’ voice it could muster. Albeit bizarre, I’d say it only improved my enjoyment. Can’t complain.
To be honest, I was starting to have my doubts. NaPaTa's been on the scene for almost a decade now and I don't think it's shocking to say that I was beginning to suspect they might have lost their touch. Between the somewhat samey stories and character designs, it honestly felt like NaPaTa had found a comfortable rut and settled into it, content that their status as one of the gods of vanilla would continue to bring them adulation from the fans. Then this masterpiece arrives to dispel any notion of that. Yes, Fio is kind of another petite NaPaTa heroine, except this time she's also an elf. In spite of that, thanks to actual characterization, Fio and Rusty together manage to carve out their own identities in the pantheon of protagonists that NaPaTa has crafted over the course of a long career in ero-manga. I eagerly await more works that, while they don't necessarily need to be groundbreaking, at least demonstrate the skills and qualities that made us all fall in love with this artist in the first place.
idk, "masterpiece" is high praise for something that seems to get a break in many departments. As you said, the heroine is another NaPaTa heroine except has elf ears (even her outfit is hardly fantasy) and the plot is very run of the mill too. The fantasy setting isn't utilized and the conflict with Rusty's confidence could be substituted with athletics or anything else.
It's just weird to me that these vanilla artists get such praise for these plots that are barely original when cheating or NTR stories get shat on for having something even remotely tropey. And the fact that you said that you await more works that "don't necessarily need to be groundbreaking" also adds to my confusion why NaPaTa gets a pass over others.
"Masterpiece" definitely is overselling this work. I composed my comment pretty shortly after reading the chapter and while I was pretty high on it on first impression, I'm inclined to agree that it's not really anything special.
As for the credit that vanilla works get versus the derision aimed at NTR, it really breaks down along the lines of what the individual reader wants to get out of their h-comics. For lots of lonesome single men, seeing an affectionate, consensual relationship play out is comforting on an emotional or even spiritual level. It doesn't have to be exceptionally unique as long as it delivers on the requisite features of 1)fairly bland easy-to-impress-upon protagonist, 2)charming, sexy, or at least cute heroine, 3)a scenario that can easily, but naturally, be turned into a sexual encounter. I frankly don't really understand what the appeal of NTR is other than seeing something that is supposed to be beautiful get broken down and, in your words, shat on.
A man worried that he isn't providing enough for his woman is such a relatable story. I feel like she should say why she wants to stay with him more often. The source of his depression is her ambiguity. Not that it is all her fault, but if he is the only one saying "Let's stay together forever!" it could lead to him thinking "this isn't what she wants". On the other hand elves usually have long life spans so saying forever could mean something different to her.
(The Crown Vic pulls up, the culture club pop out, wrap gommer in a breathable bag, shove him gently into the back seat, and cart him off for a stern talking to about puns)
A sweet Vanilla release by NaPaTa? Say no more, this is bound to be an amazing release!
Come on, my friend, no need to keep putting yourself down like that! Surely, she sticks around with you because she loves you, so stop saying stuff like she can join any party she wants because clearly, she already did. That being your party, and she's there because she wants to be there.
Great ending though. Well hey, getting her pregnant is certainly the most surefire way of being with her forever, since as a man, it's only natural to take responsibility for such a thing.