Board Thread:Manga/@comment-27321453-20200408113657/@comment-4383890-20200416044456

Eden Ushinatta wrote: Drivebladesman wrote: Eden Ushinatta wrote: The Marleyan side gets humanized, something important, considering where the story is right now. It's just too bad that the story failed to make it work, at least in most peoples' eyes, since it seems like hardly anyone sympathizes with them; for example, I see things like this on TVTropes:  "Hate Sink: Initially, the upper government in Marley is this. As more of the situation is revealed, they become far more nuanced, but the fact that they're basically the Nazis makes it difficult to really sympathize with them."

I will say this, though:  Maybe the anime could do a better job with that? That's an idea I'm open about. Did the story fail though? Falco is a hugely sympathetic character. Gabi hate seems to be going down with each passing chapter, Reiner is regarded as one of the best written characters in the series, Annie had a big fanbase from the beginning and so on. If anything, the story did a fine job.

You say that Marley is basically Nazis, but are Floch and the Yeagerists any better? The ultra-nationalists who murder every single person that opposes them and their dream of an all-powerful Eldian Empire? The side of Paradis is not that much better. The only difference is that it's only now that they've got enough power to see their plans through. Falco- definitely a truly sympathetic character, and frankly the only likable one in the entire Marley cast (nothing against his brother Colt but his character was rather unremarkable to say the least). I'm still convinced he is the true protagonist of the Marley arc since he is more interesting and compelling than Reiner could ever be. Would be nice to have an OVA showing how he came to be so compassionate while living in a Nazi regime.

Gabi- you obviously don't browse YouTube or Reddit very much. The Gabi hate is still kicking even as she gets more "development", but even if it's not as much as before, she will never be a widely loved character.

Reiner- I think we got enough of his whiny emo man-pain while on Paradis, so I can't say I cared for an entire arc of it.

Annie- the reason she has fans is because most anime viewers see her physical qualities and make ecchi/hentai fanart. As for actual character arcs, Annie still has a decently-sized hatedom due to what she did to Squad Levi, and even now shows no remorse for it by saying if she had to do it all again she would, displaying her complete lack of character development.

As for Floch and the Yeagerists...yeah, they actually are better. They are a product of the xenopbobia spewed by Marley. The Rumbling is a necessary evil for Paradis to survive, as Hanji is a traitorous coward who would rather betray her people to Marley and the world that wants to wipe them out. We've been with the Eldians side since the beginning hence why more people support them. If Isayama wanted us to "understand" or "empathize" both sides, he should have started the story with the war/political dialogue. But of course he didn't, so there really aren't many people who truly care about "the other side", no matter what Isayama says or does.