In this suuuper late episode (Riley was sick) the girls dive back into an old favorite, No Game No Life! And what will it be about this time? Stay Toon’d!
So last time we talked about No Game No Life, we spent most of our time talking about the goal.When you’re trying to take over the world, it helps to have some goalposts. No Game No Life sets that up perfectly.In it, Sora and Shiro are out to conquer the territories of all sixteen civilized races – or Exceeds, as they call them in the actual series.It’s a tactic that hooks audiences, right away! Giving people a sort of measuring stick to easily keep track of the protagonist’s progress with! In the show, we actually see Sora and Shiro conquer two! So there’s still a long way to go. But that’s exactly why audiences want to see more, so badly!However, that’s not the only thing that makes No Game No Life so popular. And now that we have the opportunity, we figure it’s about time to revisit this little series of ours to spotlight something else. So what’s on the table, this time?Well, the rest of this season does have a theme to run with!Right. So let’s take a look into the preferred method of world-conquering in this universe – games! Hope you guys are ready to Toon In.I’m Rila!I’m Riley!And you’re watching Bulletoon!The concept isn’t entirely new. There are plenty of series out there where major conflicts are tackled in non-violent ways. Just as a recent example, HypMic comes to mind.Of course, a classic example is Yu-Gi-Oh, where just about everything is solved with some sort of card game. Sure, there are other games thrown in, just for giggles – Dungeon Dice, for example – but the card game is the big one.But that’s kind of the thing with No Game No Life. Unlike most conventional examples, it’s not quite as specific. It casts a wide net by not sticking to one type of game. So you’re constantly getting entirely new and different ones with each adventure.It makes it so you never really get tired of it because it’s always changing things up.In something like Yu-Gi-Oh, the strategy is paramount. But in No Game No Life, the game, itself, is just as important as the strategy, if not more.But there’s something else making it really exciting and fun! While the games are pretty much all things we’re familiar with, the fantastical setting allows the story to tweak things a little!Right. So not only are the games different every time, but you also have the added factor of new, unfamiliar rules. Because they’re putting their own spin on things.And that’s not even bringing up how flashy and wild all the most important games are!True. With all that in mind, some of the games can be downright bonkers. Being allowed to put their own spin on things makes for a lot of out-of-this-world experiences.Of course, that’s also great for testing our protagonists. Sora and Shiro have a reputation as “Blank” – the mysterious gamer who never loses.But how much would that mean in a new world where the games they’re familiar with don’t exist in quite the same way? That’s one of the biggest thrills. Learning about the games along with them. Then the strategy comes in because you see how they have to think outside the box in order to come out on top.In the chess game, Sora ultimately has to treat the game as if it’s actual war on an actual battlefield… well… sorta. The point is that the pieces had minds of their own. And he had to figure out how to use that to his advantage.The lucky thing, in that case, is that Sora specializes in “people science.” He’s a master at predicting behavior patterns and manipulating people into behaving in the ways he wants, exploiting those patterns to win.So a game where he has to basically read the pieces on the field, as much as his actual opponent, makes a lot of sense for him!Conversely, there’s the final featured game of the season, which is a lot more down to pure math. Behavior patterns were a factor, but it was ultimately Shiro’s plan that won out in the end because in that game, things weren’t about social science. It was about the science of numbers. Timing, in this case. Everything needed to be timed perfectly in order to work.That’s actually another thing the games do really well. Different types of people excel at different types of games. By having all these different games, it allows the series to emphasize Sora and Shiro’s different specialties!Despite being pretty unconventional in a lot of ways, Sora and Shiro are still isekai protagonists. And one thing most of those have in common is some sort of “cheat” power. Now, this doesn’t have to literally be a supernatural ability-Though it usually is.Yeah, well… in any case, the cheat, in this case, is that the two of them are such astronomical big brains. They’re geniuses. And that’s how they overcome just about every problem. Of course, there’s the occasional issue they solve mostly through the power of their… extremely suspect sibling bond.But it’s actually kind of funny! Because their “cheat” power is basically the ability to outdo any actual cheating!And one of the biggest themes running through the series is that… well… everyone cheats. To some extent. If they don’t cheat, outright, then the game’s just unfair in the extreme. Yet they always win out, in the end. In essence, they’re so good, their normal efforts might as well be cheating, while everyone else has to play dirty, just to have a prayer of taking them down.It’s a lot of fun to watch and a while you’re pretty much always sure they’ll win, the more important thing is seeing how they’ll win.But we shouldn’t go to far into them as characters. We’ll save that for next time. For now, what was your favorite game in No Game No Life? Let us know, down below.Next time we’ll be going from genius protagonists-To cosmically lucky ones. Ya don’t wanna miss it so subscribe, ring the bell and, hey, why not give that like button a zap while you’re down there?This has been Bulletoon! I’m Rila, signing off!I’m Riley, bowin’ out!Thanks for watching!Keep up the Awesome! And-Stay Toon’d!
There is a lot more examples of just how varied their skillset is later on in the manga/light novels that really emphasize just how big brained they are, lol. great post.
There is a lot more examples of just how varied their skillset is later on in the manga/light novels that really emphasize just how big brained they are, lol. great post.
Oh, I believe you. I just want that second season, darn it! ;-;
Same here. Considering how crazy good the movie is, it just makes me more salty knowing the second season probably won’t happen.
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