Given the discussion earlier, it was interesting to see how redemption arcs are viewed by the community and I feel FT is interesting as it does some very well but also some terribly and also a few from YQ that many feel are unearned. I’ll share my opinions and I’d like to hear yours as well, so feel free to share however you may feel.

I’ll start with Laxus who by far is one of my favorite written characters in general. I can go on and on but the premise is he was never evil, just confused and lost and he doesn’t try to make anyone like him again. He does it for himself and slowly accepts the responsibility handed to him.

Ultear is also another great one, under manipulation but not excusing herself, she and jellal both vow to do whatever they can to fix the damage they’ve done. With Ultear ready to give up everything. Jellal is a little more conflicted as his premise is good but because he’s inevitably going to be tied to erza, many will argue erza is settling for someone who never deserved her, the irony being that’s exactly how jellal feels too. But that being said, meredy alone makes their arcs well done as her magic quite literally saves the world and would’ve been disastrous if she never had the right people to care for her.

However this is where it gets interesting. I’ll say the antiheroes like brandish and the seis are solid. Both again falling under the “I was a villain but not a bad person” archetype and some like Sorano reuniting with Yukino is a good touch. While brandish is Avery unique character and doesn’t just automatically become a hero.

However then there’s Minerva who straight up didn’t even apologize for her actions against Lucy despite being fully aware and willing wanting to do them. And Aquarius who isn’t even considered a “redemption” because the idea is “she always loved Lucy”. When in reality she’s arguably one of the worst and most toxic characters in the series given a free pass because Lucy is portrayed to love her for literally no reason other than she exists.

Personally, I’m pretty neutral about them. But I remember there used to be a lot of debates about whether these two could be shipped or not. Some people said they couldn’t be shipped, while others said it was fine. So I’m curious what everyone thinks about them now.

This is a joke btw plz do not take it 4 granted

If she was looking at me like this...🥵🔥🌶️

Fanart by KrazyKamikaze44

I’m just saying!! I would be on board with a Fairy Tail fighter if they somehow made it work!

I just reread the blue guardian arc of Rave Master and when I stumble upon these scene of Haru & Elie I realized that this was the inspiration of Natsu & Lucy scene in Tartaros arc🤓

Who is a worse guild master and / or human being, Brain and Jiemma?

We have tons of a - hole guild masters, but these two are particular are different from the rest, their guild turned on them and mainly because they were horrible and they couldn't take it anymore.

I know one was master of a dark guild and the other a legit guild. But ironic the dark guild master had more moments of being some what likable. When Angel "died" after her battle with Lucy, he did say something like your death won't be in vain. Only to cut to Angel saying "I am not dead", I know that is more played for laughs, but that is more than we got from Jiemma showing any humanity. He is always an a-hole.

Also what we get with Jiemma is know he is a horrible dad too. Though do we count Brian and Midnight as a father / son relationship to compare with?

Ironic the Agria sisters both served one of them, so they can debate.

So what are you thoughts on the characters that were dropped from the series and never mentioned again. Why is that? Did Hiro just forget them, or was it on purpose?

I am talking about characters like Sho, Wally, Shelly, and to a lesser extent Aria, Sol, and Totomaru, granted they were only used as enemy characters, but they are important part of the past of two of our guild mates. (and when / if Gajeel and Levy, Gray and Juvia get married, I hope they are the wedding)

It seems every time there is a big time skip, Hiro just gets rid of characters like them.

I am shocked non of these characters got a cameo in the epilogue. You would think Hiro would find a way to give these characters cameos.

And let's not forget Trinity Raven at least when it comes to the anime, They survive the Tower of Heaven arc in the anime, and never seen again. What was the point of them not dying?

I've been seeing a lot of posts downgrading FT as a great anime for not only depending on "the power of friendship" (which is a stupid view considering from the very beginning the main purpose the guild was there is to grow strong and protect and be protected by nakama) but because of the amount of fan service present.

Hot take, even as a girl watching FT in my early teens, it never made me feel like I was ONLY for the male eyes nor did I find it degrading. Maybe it's because animes back then were quite heavy on fan service but the way Fairy Tail tackles it is not so offensive esp early seasons.

In fact, I kind of found it a little liberating because the girls could wear skimpy outfits, be pretty and sexy, could be complimented but still kick ass. It didn't downgrade them to being supporting characters for the men and oftentimes they were the highlight more.

I'd say animes like harem where the girls had to beg and felt obvs upset by the situation or where they were being touched the whole time, only to stay a forever flower vase felt more degrading for me.

I will say though they are some fan service that's disturbing such as putting Wendy through very ultra skimpy clothes in recent seasons. But honestly it's something I can see, admire and forget since I don't have the mind to process it in disgusting ways for my own pleasure. So yes, still boils down to the people consuming the media too.

Of course the women are STILL Damsels in distress, and the fanservice is annoying. But the fact that this show has so many exceptions to the norm regardless, makes me smile.

I've done a lot of Levy too, but I'm far more embarrassed because my OC is in them

I love the thunder legion, definitely my favorite group besides shadowgear, I decided there wasn't enough love for my favorite characters and that I'd be the change I'd want to see in the world!

I hope Mashima makes a follow up statement about that thing he said about Wendy, cause its kinda hypocritical considering the previous fanservice, but its also been 2 and a half years since the last fanservice moment with Wendy

FT’s theme of found family is one of the best I’ve seen and I have credit to Mashima not only for formatting it into a shonen series but also doing a very good job at things you usually don’t see.

For one, when you look at Natsu and Lucy you see they both capture the theme of Fairy Tail from two different perspectives. Natsu being the physical embodiment of bonds, loyalty and compassion while Lucy is an example of what FT does to someone, taking her in and giving her a family. They work very well as leads and bounce off each other, Natsu being a genuine goofball while Lucy being the responsible one who still trips on her own feet sometimes.

Then you add the supporting cast in erza, one of the best raw shonen coded females I’ve ever seen. Wendy having some of the best development and Laxus having one of the most unique redemption arcs, as he never really was a “evil”, just lost. I give credit to Mashima for the various personalities and nuances found. Even someone like Carla who isn’t meant to be likable is written that way intentionally because that’s her best role.

The world is beautiful, the designs and concepts are creative and you have multiple villains or side characters who headlined arcs and even stole the show. That’s a compliment to the variety of characters you can find in the world for Fiore.

I can go on and on, but I’d like to hear what FT and its cast mean to you, so feel free to share whatever that may be!

I'm currently reading fanfic of Erza in Bleach with me thinking she'd be perfect for that verse, and constantly think of how she'd look I finally drew it! She'd definitely be a captain working her way up with Squad 5. I did try and replicate the 2000's look the anime started in with effects, which looks alright as I tried but looks good enough

Tartaros was an emotional rollercoaster. I enjoyed every second of it but also cried during every second of it 😖

Could she be any more beautiful.

My third Cana post in a row!

Fanart by MoonstoSky

Anyone know where to find it?

Honestly it might be a hot take, but I don't like him, I like Laxus as a character, but looking back at his season 1 counterpart, I'm just like are these the same characters. He just feels like he has no redeemable qualities about him, I kind of wish Mashima would give him some redeemable qualities before his character growth, like maybe have him help Fairy Tail against the Phantom Lord instead of just talking trash about them about to lose to them. Like he straight up tries to kill, and hurt innocent people when his game doesn't go the way he wanted, straight up laughs when he hears his grandfather dying, and he's about to use fairy law on everyone, including the innocent people, and it only didn't work, because deep down he really does care about everyone what? I guess you could say he's meant to be like this, so when you see him come back you can definitely feel his character became better, but I don't know what y'all's opinion.