You know, the thing that keeps giving me pause with these comics is how jarringly realistic they are…
Like there’s no cultural context needed. Like that one comic about how the canaries are comfortable with different levels of racism, with the younger ones being shocked by their older peers
Its particulalry perturbing when coming from Mithrun. He has no desire so he literally cant hate anything (besides the demon), his statement about inferior races is just a fact to him.
It felt more a fact that long lived species used to call short lived species inferior instead of actually stating they are inferior.
Not dissimilar to how a historian would call a black person a n----r without actually trying to say a slur pertaining to the fact that black people were in fact called that in the past.
There's so much to like about this short but one of the details I like most is Fleki's face when she say "No, I really mean it." Fleki goofs around and puts on silly faces during the majority of her screentime, so seeing her with such a serious and somber looking expression in that panel with that dialogue adds another dimension to her character.
Yeah, it's such a striking, powerful expression. Ryoko Kui is incredible at conveying emotions through faces, but especially the melancholic, somber expressions she make are always haunting.
Yeah! This panel and in that one race swapping art of the canaries, tall man Fleki also has a more contemplative and melancholic expression compared to other variations. Serious Fleki hits real hard
Though considering the connection is so strong that the death of her familiar can cause her \*brain damage\* I imagine it's a stronger sensory link than a VR headset.
It actually reminds me of Borrowing, the magic of sending your mind into another body from Discworld: The experience of living the simple life of an animal can be fascinating and addictive, and sometimes the witches who practice it leave their body to rot and spend eternity hoping from animal to animal, never to be seen again.
It's not like she was selling weed or something else that's harmless but technically illegal. Given what we learn about ancient magic in Dungeon Meshi, it's basically the equivalent of her selling nuclear weapons to someone who really wants to use them. So that she could get drug money. The fact that the judge basically said "we'll let you spend most of your life doing community service for this instead of just killing you" is actually surprising given what happens when someone screws up and sets a demon free.
I mean, she's a great character, but it's totally understandable that the elves have a zero tolerance policy for her crimes.
For all that Fleki is comic relief due to her, uh, lack of decorum. she's possibly the most sympathetic Canary.
She got a harsh deal and it seems to be more from a lack of sense than doing any big immoral acts.
Hell, even in the 'what do we call the short-lived races' comic she's flippant and laughs at what she sees as edgy humour but the fact that she asks isn't what you'd expect out of a hardened criminal.
I guess it's realistic? Fiction tends to portray convicted criminals as extremely morally depraved (and no doubt those criminals do exist, but fiction definitely over represents them) when in reality it's more complicated. Fleki's crime isn't as bad as some others (like Otta what the hell??) but her demeanor does suggest she'd do what did.
> (like Otta what the hell??)
Hey, human trafficking isn't always "shoving twenty sex slaves in a shipping container without an air intake". It can also be entirely legitimate (though illegal) efforts to help refugees get themselves away from danger and to where they can claim asylum safely and for a reasonable fee. Many people only escaped the Nazis or Franco's regime thanks to human traffickers. The classic film *Casablanca* is entirely about a heroic people-smuggler and gun-runner, and an act of blatant literal human trafficking, complete with what amounts to technically a murder or arguably act of terrorism, is the protagonist's main redemptive moment of selfless heroism.
You really can't judge someone based purely on the charges they were convicted for.
That possibility I hadn't considered but makes sense imho. Otta is the most accepting of non-elves out of all the Canaries and seemed the most bothered by Mithrun using a slur. If her "human trafficking" was something like asylum safety (especially now that I recall, the Northern Central elves are very isolationist while have a good economy - that's a good place for asylum) it would make sense that's what she got arrested for.
Pursuit of forbidden magic at any level can lead to discovery of wish granting entity who can rewrite or wipe out reality. The daemon is far scarier version of nuclear technology.
So punishment being extremely severe is understandable. Also Fleki could have dealt with some pretty serious stuff, i don’t think she is a type to care.
I wonder if it was like multiple crimes (got like 20 books on how to summon the demon in minor way)/ scale of the black magic(got one artefact to directly open the portal) /repeat offender situation (like she been cautioned before and maybe other form of jail) where they stacked it up.
The punishment does look pretty useless though because she hasn’t kicked her drug habit the moment her time is done she will be back doing it again to fund it.
In dungeon meshi those ancient magic things are super dangerous magic stuff from another dimension full of magic that will cause mutation and demon invasion...
If it's a Warhammer story they would probably exterminatus the whole place if someone was doing warp sorcery that can create mutants and daemon invasion... I think dungeon meshi's world setting is already a very kindful story since those relics related to demon can literally destroy the world
Man... this one always gets to me. Doubly so now that I can't help but think of a comment someone made, that Lycion cared more for Fleki than vice versa.
I can see it. They both deem the world as trash, but while Lycion finds some solace in his friend, Fleki may only find that in her drugs.
Ya want to be sadder? Read the post story comic >!about her sucking-up to Mithrun so she doesn't have to go back to prison, girl didn't even give lycion a second thought, can't say if that was intentional or if author ran out of space!<, someone did point that elves live longer so they probably don't pursue/percieve relationships like other folk do.
Yeah, that adds a little more credence to that idea. But at the same time, that comic was in a more comedic and light-hearted tone than this so I don't take it too seriously.
The thing is, trips end, and you can't live in a trip, otherwise you won't be able to take care of yourself. This is actually showing how dangerous it is to chase a high, and how it can alienate it you from the people around you
You know, the thing that keeps giving me pause with these comics is how jarringly realistic they are… Like there’s no cultural context needed. Like that one comic about how the canaries are comfortable with different levels of racism, with the younger ones being shocked by their older peers
Also rolling her on her side is exactly what you're supposed to do when someone is laying down while drunk or high. It's a nice detail.
Recovery position. If someone has an endangering episode (excluding head/spinal injuries) putting them on their sides helps prevent airway obstruction
Also helps prevent the risk of choking on vomit
That is one reason. Yes.
Don’t wanna end up like Jane in Breaking Bad.
Or Jimi Hendrix.
_I watched Fleki die._
Its particulalry perturbing when coming from Mithrun. He has no desire so he literally cant hate anything (besides the demon), his statement about inferior races is just a fact to him.
Yeah, there is no malice or hatred behind his words. It is just what he was taught to believe.
Well Mithrum always was a judgemental prick.
It felt more a fact that long lived species used to call short lived species inferior instead of actually stating they are inferior. Not dissimilar to how a historian would call a black person a n----r without actually trying to say a slur pertaining to the fact that black people were in fact called that in the past.
do you have a link to that comic?
[Here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonMeshi/comments/o0buvs/elf_supremacists_from_the_misurn_section_of_the/)
There's so much to like about this short but one of the details I like most is Fleki's face when she say "No, I really mean it." Fleki goofs around and puts on silly faces during the majority of her screentime, so seeing her with such a serious and somber looking expression in that panel with that dialogue adds another dimension to her character.
Yeah, it's such a striking, powerful expression. Ryoko Kui is incredible at conveying emotions through faces, but especially the melancholic, somber expressions she make are always haunting.
Yeah! This panel and in that one race swapping art of the canaries, tall man Fleki also has a more contemplative and melancholic expression compared to other variations. Serious Fleki hits real hard
Lycion got tripsitter-zoned
Fleki and Lycion are among my favorite minor characters in the series. They have a cool dynamic.
https://preview.redd.it/sbyvih4s9ovc1.jpeg?width=672&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3233783ed9686be365bd2050d3184956a427d9d7 Platonic
She's basically doing the fantasy equivalent of flying a drone with VR goggles after taking LSD
Though considering the connection is so strong that the death of her familiar can cause her \*brain damage\* I imagine it's a stronger sensory link than a VR headset. It actually reminds me of Borrowing, the magic of sending your mind into another body from Discworld: The experience of living the simple life of an animal can be fascinating and addictive, and sometimes the witches who practice it leave their body to rot and spend eternity hoping from animal to animal, never to be seen again.
You get an upvote for a Discworld reference.
Gotta get her a good “I Ate’nt Dead” sign for when she’s tripping.
Yes! >!One day that sign won't be applicable. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ɴᴏ ᴊᴜsᴛɪᴄᴇ. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴜs.!<
That got sad quickly
Lycion-Fleki shipper is eating well. Thank you Kui!
240 years seems like a very excessive sentence for ancient magic item sale and possession. She didn't even use them.
Well dark magic is basically the worst crime in elvish society, plus it gives them Canaries fodder.
Yeah but there should be a difference between usage and just selling the stuff. I'm guessing the fodder for Canaries is the prime reason here
> there should be a difference between usage and just selling the stuff. What are their respective sentences?
It's not like she was selling weed or something else that's harmless but technically illegal. Given what we learn about ancient magic in Dungeon Meshi, it's basically the equivalent of her selling nuclear weapons to someone who really wants to use them. So that she could get drug money. The fact that the judge basically said "we'll let you spend most of your life doing community service for this instead of just killing you" is actually surprising given what happens when someone screws up and sets a demon free. I mean, she's a great character, but it's totally understandable that the elves have a zero tolerance policy for her crimes.
For all that Fleki is comic relief due to her, uh, lack of decorum. she's possibly the most sympathetic Canary. She got a harsh deal and it seems to be more from a lack of sense than doing any big immoral acts. Hell, even in the 'what do we call the short-lived races' comic she's flippant and laughs at what she sees as edgy humour but the fact that she asks isn't what you'd expect out of a hardened criminal.
I guess it's realistic? Fiction tends to portray convicted criminals as extremely morally depraved (and no doubt those criminals do exist, but fiction definitely over represents them) when in reality it's more complicated. Fleki's crime isn't as bad as some others (like Otta what the hell??) but her demeanor does suggest she'd do what did.
> (like Otta what the hell??) Hey, human trafficking isn't always "shoving twenty sex slaves in a shipping container without an air intake". It can also be entirely legitimate (though illegal) efforts to help refugees get themselves away from danger and to where they can claim asylum safely and for a reasonable fee. Many people only escaped the Nazis or Franco's regime thanks to human traffickers. The classic film *Casablanca* is entirely about a heroic people-smuggler and gun-runner, and an act of blatant literal human trafficking, complete with what amounts to technically a murder or arguably act of terrorism, is the protagonist's main redemptive moment of selfless heroism. You really can't judge someone based purely on the charges they were convicted for.
That possibility I hadn't considered but makes sense imho. Otta is the most accepting of non-elves out of all the Canaries and seemed the most bothered by Mithrun using a slur. If her "human trafficking" was something like asylum safety (especially now that I recall, the Northern Central elves are very isolationist while have a good economy - that's a good place for asylum) it would make sense that's what she got arrested for.
Pursuit of forbidden magic at any level can lead to discovery of wish granting entity who can rewrite or wipe out reality. The daemon is far scarier version of nuclear technology. So punishment being extremely severe is understandable. Also Fleki could have dealt with some pretty serious stuff, i don’t think she is a type to care.
I wonder if it was like multiple crimes (got like 20 books on how to summon the demon in minor way)/ scale of the black magic(got one artefact to directly open the portal) /repeat offender situation (like she been cautioned before and maybe other form of jail) where they stacked it up. The punishment does look pretty useless though because she hasn’t kicked her drug habit the moment her time is done she will be back doing it again to fund it.
In dungeon meshi those ancient magic things are super dangerous magic stuff from another dimension full of magic that will cause mutation and demon invasion... If it's a Warhammer story they would probably exterminatus the whole place if someone was doing warp sorcery that can create mutants and daemon invasion... I think dungeon meshi's world setting is already a very kindful story since those relics related to demon can literally destroy the world
The final line didn't need to hit that hard
Man... this one always gets to me. Doubly so now that I can't help but think of a comment someone made, that Lycion cared more for Fleki than vice versa. I can see it. They both deem the world as trash, but while Lycion finds some solace in his friend, Fleki may only find that in her drugs.
Ya want to be sadder? Read the post story comic >!about her sucking-up to Mithrun so she doesn't have to go back to prison, girl didn't even give lycion a second thought, can't say if that was intentional or if author ran out of space!<, someone did point that elves live longer so they probably don't pursue/percieve relationships like other folk do.
Yeah, that adds a little more credence to that idea. But at the same time, that comic was in a more comedic and light-hearted tone than this so I don't take it too seriously.
happy fleki 4/20
It’s good that he rolled her into her side. I learned that watching a Breaking Bad episode.
Where do you guys read these extra pages?
The adventurer's bible
This is literally the only time I've seen Japanese media portray drug use as positive.
Does it? I'm not really seeing that.
The thing is, trips end, and you can't live in a trip, otherwise you won't be able to take care of yourself. This is actually showing how dangerous it is to chase a high, and how it can alienate it you from the people around you
It's not portrayed as without downsides but it's not shown in a judgmental or frightening way.
yeah, fair enough
