UlasanAnime.com – This article offers a less serious, almost “shitpost” perspective on what elements might be missing to make Granblue Fantasy (GBF) truly captivating. The author posits that a particular tweet serves as a significant indicator of the answer.
A disclaimer is necessary here as the author admits to picking on GBF without a strong reason. The author suggests that perhaps a more fitting name would be “CyGames FantasyVerse” or a similar term, highlighting the focus on the broader fictional universe.
The core argument is that GBF, in the author’s estimation, lacks the essential components that define a fantasy story. While it heavily relies on adventure and character development, which are generally enjoyed by audiences, the author questions if this is truly what constitutes a fantasy narrative.
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real world myth and folklore.
Referencing Wikipedia, the author agrees with this definition, suggesting that Cygames also adheres to it. Examples like “Manaria Friends” (also known as “Mysteria Friends”) are cited as proper fantasy, where ordinary social situations are elevated into intriguing narratives due to the magical school setting. The author emphasizes that it is the fictional universe, or the setting, that truly defines a fantasy, rather than solely the characters or their stories.
The fictional universe in GBF, according to the author, acts as a mere crutch. It doesn’t significantly contribute as a character in itself, beyond serving to contextualize different characters’ circumstances. The author believes that if this is its sole purpose, a fantasy setting isn’t even necessary to tell the same story. This sentiment extends to both seasons of the GBF anime and the Bahamut anime, with a few exceptions for individual episodes. The author concludes that if the fantastical elements of a story are merely contrived, then the fantasy itself is not particularly strong, hoping not to stir controversy with this opinion.
Once again, the author clarifies that their knowledge of GBF’s story is limited, primarily derived from the anime and scattered information from Twitter. Their engagement with the game itself is mainly for collaboration events and the appeal of “free not-gambling.”
The realization about GBF’s narrative shortcomings was triggered by comparing it to “Last Exile.” The author sees “Last Exile” as fundamentally the same fantasy story, merely placed within a steampunk context instead of a Tolkien-esque framework, viewed through a JRPG lens. The author suggests that while GBF might contain such a story within its gacha game shell, the business model of these games, beyond financial strain on players, carries other negative consequences.
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In a postscript, the author mentions their intention to write more for Kurocon but was unable to before the event concluded. They instead direct readers to an ANN announcement regarding the event.
