Favorite Ark?

This is where you post your favorite ark in the manga thus far. I thought nothing would beat the Pino/Triela ark for me, but this recent ark about Triela was truly amazing. I'm not sure which i like better... This one about Henrietta seems to be shapping up nicely. Next ark I'm kinda hoping we get to see Claes' past and learn more about her... So yeah. Those two Triela arks are probably tied for me.

It's all about Triela in Volume 10 for me.

Vol 9. Marco learns a major lesson in lossing Angie. Furthermore, the other handlers now know that it can happen to them too.

Some may say I have a death fixation, and they may be right... but I'm torn between Elsa's death arc, and Angelica's death arc... the effect of losing one of their child operatives has on the people of the Agency is among the most emotionally charged events I've ever seen in any story.
...and it's pulled off almost completely without melodrama. 'Case melodramatic shit is melodramatic and shitty. And it's almost everywhere...

I believe Angelica's death was far more touching then Elsa's.

Especially since Elsa and Lauro in the manga are literally even less-defined then the three other series 2 girls at the end of Volume 9. If not for the anime fleshing them out...

LoC, I agree. I most definately agree...

Angelica's death arc is the most touching for me. It is the hardest part of the manga for me to read.

Even though it was small, I like the development between Rico and Jean.

*Hasn't read past volume 6 yet*

I liked Triela's development from volume 10. There was some major change with her character and we learned more of the sacrifices Hilshire made to ensure her safety.

Triela n Pino.

Because back then they didn't have retarded eyes

Vol.10. Nothing thus far has had that kind of emotional impact. Angie’s death came in a very close second.

Whatface wrote:Triela n Pino.

Because back then they didn't have retarded eyes

Yeah. I think that's my favorite art from Yu Aida. Come volumes 6 they all change so much.

Triela and Pino arc.

Even before we saw the resolution in vol.4-5; it was the primary inspiration for The Alpha Effect.

Volume 10 arc and Angelicas death are the most touching I think...

Picking a favorite is hard to do. Elsa's death Arc in the anime is one of my favorites. The anime was first encounter with the series, and thus it keeps a special place in my heart. The story of Elsa is so good, because it speaks to the heart of what is GSG.

There are other scenes, the end of volume five. Most of volume ten. In the end though I think I would have to side with Elsa.

**EDIT**
Actually you know what I take it back. Episode three. The one with Emilo. That's my favorite. No if's, ands, or buts.

gotta admit, the "I am sorry" arc is up there on my list.. but there's nothing quite like the death of a main character in an altogether tragic story (and the fallout of said death on other main characters) to tug my heartstrings.

im still sticking to the 1st ark, the Henreitta ark, that then the Elsa ark then the Pino ark

Wileama wrote:Actually you know what I take it back. Episode three. The one with Emilo. That's my favorite. No if's, ands, or buts.

That episode has been variously described by many fans as the heart and soul of Gunslinger Girl, Gunslinger Girl in a nutshell, and the series' most tragic episode. I tend to agree with all three opinions.

Nachtsider wrote:

Wileama wrote:Actually you know what I take it back. Episode three. The one with Emilo. That's my favorite. No if's, ands, or buts.

That episode has been variously described by many fans as the heart and soul of Gunslinger Girl, Gunslinger Girl in a nutshell, and the series' most tragic episode. I tend to agree with all three opinions.

I’m having a hard time understanding this one. Yeah, it sucked that Rico had to do what she did, and it sucks the Emilio got capped, but it’s a little hard to emotionally identify with a character we only briefly saw. No offence to the fans of this arc, but I saw it more as filler then anything else. Putting it on the same level as vol.10, Angie’s death, or Elsa’s death or Claes losing Rabollo is a little ridiculous.

It's not like Raballo was that much of a major character either. Sure he was the focal point of a chapter, but he was still only in the one chapter overall...

TTIO wrote:It's not like Raballo was that much of a major character either.

Compared to Emilio he was. And he was Claes’ handler (Who she still thinks about to this day, giving him relevance to the story even now). Emilio was just some kid Rico met on the street and had a brief conversation with. It’s pretty much impossible for me to feel for someone who doesn’t even rate as a casual acquaintance. Besides that, we never really ever find out just exactly how Rico felt about killing him. All we can do is speculate. I’m sorry, but that emotional connection just isn’t made.

I'm not conviced. Comparatively, yes he was a major character. But overall...

Possibly I'll make the connection once I've read volumes 7 onwards, but until then I think they're nearly even.

Danjo3 wrote:I’m having a hard time understanding this one. Yeah, it sucked that Rico had to do what she did, and it sucks the Emilio got capped, but it’s a little hard to emotionally identify with a character we only briefly saw.

Episode 3 was my first exposure to Gunslinger Girl and for me, the episode just underscored the tragedy that is Gunslinger Girl. But...

Danjo3 wrote:Besides that, we never really ever find out just exactly how Rico felt about killing him. All we can do is speculate.

IMO, Rico felt nothing. None of the girls do when they kill. The manga makes that clear both explicitly (the medical staff comments) and implicitly (the girls responses themselves). She said "Sorry" only because she was being polite (as terrible as that sounds) and not because she felt any remorse about taking his life.

Which is why I too didn't feel any real emotional attachment to Emilio. I felt for him being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it was not like even if he had been allowed to live that Rico was ever going to see him again.

TTIO wrote:Comparatively, yes (Raballo) was a major character. But overall...

Possibly I'll make the connection once I've read volumes 7 onwards, but until then I think they're nearly even.

Spoiler:

Well Raballo had an effect and influence on Claes, which Emilio didn't on Rico. Henrietta, being the sentimental one, suggested that Emilio liked her, but Rico didn't seem to feel anything for him. Yes, she does ask about being able to play, but it did not really strike me as something she wanted to learn for Emilio. She even notes she likely wouldn't see him again.

Good points Kiskaloo.

As I said before, the story about Emilio is filler - a vehicle Yu used to introduce us to Rico. It came from nowhere and it went nowhere. In other words, it had no impact on the overall story what so ever.

Regardless of its impact on the story, the Emilio arc does a lot to help define the tragedy of the series. Not to the level that the Elsa arc does, in my opinion... but without it, we wouldn't have nearly as clear a picture of the effects of conditioning on the girls, nor their involvement as political pawns rather than stereotypical 'defenders of justice'.

Will that wasn't a Rico ark, it was just a chapter in the manga to introduce her. I don't think one chapter = an ark, especially when it doesn't go anywhere, or tie into anything.

That we know, Triela. Wil's mentioning Rico's intro episode would just be a case of C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER or ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWA.

I think the problem is that over time, some people start to loose their perspective on the chapter and assume that Rico was in love with Emilio and think it’s tragic that she had to kill her love. A quick review shows that this is not the case. She was just flattered by a little positive attention, and this isn’t saying much, considering that Rico (who was being treated like shit by Jean) suffers form low self-esteem and would welcome any kind of positive attention.

As Kiskaloo stated:

IMO, Rico felt nothing. None of the girls do when they kill. The manga makes that clear both explicitly (the medical staff comments) and implicitly (the girls responses themselves). She said "Sorry" only because she was being polite (as terrible as that sounds) and not because she felt any remorse about taking his life.

EDIT:
I’m going to let you off the hook on this one Nach. I know you have an OC loosely based (very loosely based) on the dead Emilio. But to say that this story is the “Heart and soul of Gunslinger Girl” is blasphemy.

Danjo3 wrote:EDIT:
I’m going to let you off the hook on this one Nach. I know you have an OC loosely based (very loosely based) on the dead Emilio. But to say that this story is the “Heart and soul of Gunslinger Girl” is blasphemy.

I'd say Rico's episode is the best at showing the dehumanising nature of the SWA's work (the guy they're killing isn't even a terrorist), it pigeonholes Rico down to a tee, and gets me every time....but if that was all there was to Gunslinger Girl, watching it would be like having teeth pulled.

My favourite arc has to be....Pinocchio. It's got the strongest villains in the series, and the most sympathetic ever, and cartloads of Triela and Hilshire. Volume 10 was certainly incredible, but Triela's conflict with Pino showed a lot of her heart before that, and set it up.

If Rico gets an arc, of course, that might swiftly become my favourite....

Danjo3 wrote:EDIT: I’m going to let you off the hook on this one Nach. I know you have an OC loosely based (very loosely based) on the dead Emilio. But to say that this story is the “Heart and soul of Gunslinger Girl” is blasphemy.

Blasphemy's my middle name, matey.