Comments on: Koihime†Musou

By: Anime Diet » Shin Koihime Musou 1

Anime Diet » Shin Koihime Musou 1 — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:02:54 +0000

[...] a new season and a new Koihime†Musou. The beginning glosses over the plot and jumps right into the action – a telling stylistic [...]

By: Anime Diet » Souten Kouro to be subbed

Anime Diet » Souten Kouro to be subbed — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:52:09 +0000

[...] earlier review of Souten Kouro, a new spring season anime starring Cao Cao (Sousou) as its lead, resulted in several requests for an English-language version. As of review time, [...]

By: Anime Diet » Sympathy for Cao Cao - Souten Kouro 01 Decompressed

Anime Diet » Sympathy for Cao Cao - Souten Kouro 01 Decompressed — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:01:12 +0000

[...] this adaptation? Or will this unusually serious take on things fail to attain the popularity of other, more lighthearted works derived from Romance of the Three [...]

By: moritheil

moritheil — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:50:52 +0000

Cascade – Thanks for the extended explanation. It’s been some time since I looked at RotTK. You’re right in that Cao Cao’s villainy is largely a matter of interpretation; this season there’s an anime out that portrays him as a hero instead.

I knew that Guan Yu and Cao Cao were not always enemies, but to me, it was funnier to look at Koihime†Musou as fulfilling the “enemy lust” fanfic trope than to look at it as turning a friendship sexual – though that is also common in certain kinds of fanfic as well. Strictly by timeframe, I agree that your explanation is more accurate, as the scene coincides with RotTK Cao Cao’s desire to have such a powerful fighter in his own forces.

By: Cascade

Cascade — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:08:15 +0000

I’m rather late, but what’s actually funny about Cao Cao in this anime is a bit more complicated.
You did get the story about Cao Cao as a fugitive right, but don’t forget his famous quote, the one that truly exemplifies his villain form in RoTK: “Better to wrong the world than have it wrong me!” Of course, Cao Cao’s reputation as an evil tyrant is largely based on the novel and not actual history.

As for Guan Yu and Cao Cao, they weren’t actually mortal enemies. Quite the opposite for a little while, actually; Cao Cao recognized Guan Yu’s strength shortly after the three sworn brothers (Liu Bei, Zhang Fei) left to make a name for themselves in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Cao Cao very strongly desired Guan Yu to serve him, because he had the insight to know that he’d be one of the most powerful warriors in the Three Kingdoms next to Lu Bu. For that reason, he was willing to make any offer to keep Guan Yu in his army, but during the battle of Guan Du against Yuan Shao, Guan Yu saw Liu Bei, who was fighting under the enemy’s command, and decided to leave to join his brother. Cao Cao basically dragged his feet about the paperwork and official business of letting him leave the army, so Guan Yu got fed up, wrote a farewell letter, and left. Cao Cao told his generals to let Guan Yu go, but they didn’t follow his directions and several of them were slain by Guan Yu on his own as he made a very famous ride in the story to leave Cao Cao’s territory.

After this point, Guan Yu in the story met Cao Cao in person one more time, after they were enemies. He swore an oath to slay Cao Cao despite them being former lord and vassal. However, when he caught Cao Cao fleeing from the battle of Red Cliffs, he was unable to force himself to kill Cao Cao and let him escape, promising the next time he wouldn’t be so merciful.

So anyways, the importance of these stories is that Cao Cao and Guan Yu weren’t mortal enemies, and Koihime Musou is doubly hilarious in that Cao Cao’s heavy respect for Guan Yu and determination to keep him as his servant suddenly became hawt yuri sechz.

By: moritheil

moritheil — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 06:32:47 +0000

Wrong . . . or right?

By: rayyhum777

rayyhum777 — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:42:23 +0000

Lesbians FTW…Wait, that just sounded so wrong on so many levels…XD

By: Qwerty

Qwerty — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:14:09 +0000

Lesbians are awesome.

By: moritheil

moritheil — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:56:23 +0000

Thanks for the comments!

Omisyth – Well, otaku generally like references to other anime. So is referencing historical works different?

Snark – This is true. :D

schneider – Ruthless general is ruthless.

By: schneider

schneider — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:09:44 +0000

Wow, I didn’t know that Cao Cao tidbit. It’s not much different from what my Robert Greene book said, too (“Our army is low on morale and I need to make you a scapegoat and cut off your head. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your family.”)…