The second 30 day challenge I decided to do, for much the same reasons as HxH, is Soul Eater, and once again I was lucky enough to find a premade one on the internets. Once again I’ll be halfarsing it and doing one post a week instead of every day and randomly switching out questions whenever I feel like it. At this point it’s not so much a challenge as a …thingy
- Your Favorite Teen Meister
- Your Least Favorite Teen Meister
- Your Favorite Teen Weapon
- Your Least Favorite Teen Weapon
- Your Favorite Adult Meister
- Your Least Favorite Adult Meister
- Your favorite Adult Weapon
- Your Least favorite Adult Weapon
- Your Favorite Witch
- Your Least Favorite Witch
- Your Favorite Class
- Your Favorite Outfit
- Your Favorite Pairing
- Your Least Favorite Pairing
- Your Favorite Crack Pairing
- Your Least Favorite Crack Pairing
- Your Favorite Scene
- Your Least Favorite Scene
- Crossover
- Your Favorite Opening
- Your Least Favorite Opening
- Your Favorite Ending
- Your Least Favorite Ending
- SYMMETRY!
- Moon or Sun?
- Fool! / BAKA!
- Lord Death
- If You Met Your All Time Favorite Character
- Chibi Time?
- A Message To Atsushi Ohkubo
Your Favorite Teen Meister
Oh boy, almost got stumped on question 1…. I honestly really like all of them and it was a real tough chore to come up with a favorite. In the end, I decided to go with Death the Kid but this may have changed (several times) by the time I actually publish this.
Although Soul Eater is my anime fashion plate and I am a huge fan of all the designs (and general visuals) in this show, I have a particular fondness for Kid’s whole aesthetic. His most striking trait are probably the lines of Sazu in his hair. A simple design choice, ironically not symmetrical, that is both very stylish and instantly recognizable, allowing us to easily identify Kid in huge crowds. Moreover, it subtly denotes that while perfectly human looking, Death the Kid is not quite normal. But beyond those the entire look is great. The basic black is always classic and the full suit accentuates both the fact that he tends to be more mature than other meisters his age, and more powerful. The bolo tie is a quirky choice that’s rarely seen at all these days, and the repeating cartoon skull motif fits into the overall visuals which manage to mix silly with oddly menacing.
When most of us think Death the Kid, we think symmetry or OCD, or most likely both! As someone prone to Obsessive Compulsive behavior, I can really appreciate how it can be a completely tangible and believable hindrance that would limit a character like Kid stopping him from becoming overpowered in a narrative breaking way and providing an easy source for endless sight gags and running jokes. I really enjoyed this character choice.
However, outside his pathology, Kid is actually quite normal serving as a foil to the more eccentric characters and grounding the cast with his level headedness and reliability. You know you can count on him to make sure Black Star doesn’t get too annoying and Maka too moody. We can clearly see his dedication to his duty when, upon discovering a potential link between his Death and Eibon, he not only follows the lead despite the fact that he might uncover something damaging to his father, but shoulders the burden all by himself to avoid both endangering others and needlessly worrying them before he has all the information. This was quite the boss move and shows that he truly is a worthy successor to the throne.
But his most charming trait by far is his unwavering respect towards Patty and Liz, which he demonstrated before even they thought themselves worthy of it. After years of partnership they have grown comfortable enough to tease each other and show impatience for their respective quirks but at the end of the day you can clearly see the trust and mutual admiration that has made them such a great team.
Last and most likely least, I really liked that he was given a skateboard. Out of all those snot nosed youths, it’s great that they picked the serious and finicky one to saddle with the stereotypical “problem child” accessory. It reminds us that after all, Kid is really just a kid.
Suggested drink: Death in the Afternoon
- Every time he holds his guns upside down! – drink!
- Every time Kid, Patty and Liz strike a pose – drink!
- Every time symmetry! – you know what to do
- Every time Kid uses his skateboard – drink!
- Every time Kind investigates – drink!
- Every time Kid says “Kichiri kachiri” – say perfect!
- Every time Kid smiles – squee!
It’s been way too long since I’ve seen this series – think I might have to go back for a re-watch at some point soon. Death the Kid was my favourite main character as well.
The show did a pretty good job with the cast in general I think.
I’m a huge Maka fan, but Death the Kid definitely runs a close second. I definitely love his more serious moments and his skateboard, but the OCD sometimes just pushes a little too far into the absurd.
I can see that. Yeah Maka is an awesome character and a fantastic action girl role model. We need more of those!