Something I've been thinking about a lot recently is how problematic works can sometimes deny themselves the audience that'd love them most.
Anyway, so another pass through of Goblin Slayer and the gratuitous depictions of sexual assault had me wonder if there isn't value in releasing "censored" versions which, even if they have to be sought out, might make a work filled with trauma triggers more accessible to the people who might find the stuff under all the sexual violence really engaging.
I've heard some argue that Goblin Slayer's violence is necessary and crucial to the plot, and we shouldn't meddle with the author's original vision too much and I think there's room for a middle ground. While I personally would prefer that cishet men take a break from using gratuitous rape as a plot device until they can learn not to carelessly shove it in whenever the drama gets a bit dry, why can there not also exist two versions of this one thing where one simply blacks out the harder to read parts?
I really like Goblin Slayer. I like the pure unbridled fun of watching a stoic, dedicated, uptight warrior who can't ever see anything but his craft learn to lighten up and let in friends. There are all these cute moments like where Orcbolg introduces a friend to cheese, or when Orcbolg gets asked out on a date and while he shows up in full armour, because of what if a goblin attacks, he isn't immediately turned into a yammering idiot at the mere thought of a woman wanting to spend time with him. To everyone's surprise, he graciously accepts because he's trying his best to invite in the parts of life that aren't specifically his job. And despite having the equivalent of a plumbing job, there comes a moment where Orcbolg asks his fellow adventurers for help in beating back a wave of goblins, and while initially, it seems no one wants to do it because there's no prestige or monetary gain, because Orcbolg has let so many people into his life, his new friends help him rally a massive group of eager people.
There's so much to love in this story, so much genuine heart that it kills me that the first thing you'll see in the pages of this swan song to the power of letting people in is some of the most excessive depictions of sexual violence.
Perhaps the barrier to entry could be lowered, is all.
Anyway, so another pass through of Goblin Slayer and the gratuitous depictions of sexual assault had me wonder if there isn't value in releasing "censored" versions which, even if they have to be sought out, might make a work filled with trauma triggers more accessible to the people who might find the stuff under all the sexual violence really engaging.
I've heard some argue that Goblin Slayer's violence is necessary and crucial to the plot, and we shouldn't meddle with the author's original vision too much and I think there's room for a middle ground. While I personally would prefer that cishet men take a break from using gratuitous rape as a plot device until they can learn not to carelessly shove it in whenever the drama gets a bit dry, why can there not also exist two versions of this one thing where one simply blacks out the harder to read parts?
I really like Goblin Slayer. I like the pure unbridled fun of watching a stoic, dedicated, uptight warrior who can't ever see anything but his craft learn to lighten up and let in friends. There are all these cute moments like where Orcbolg introduces a friend to cheese, or when Orcbolg gets asked out on a date and while he shows up in full armour, because of what if a goblin attacks, he isn't immediately turned into a yammering idiot at the mere thought of a woman wanting to spend time with him. To everyone's surprise, he graciously accepts because he's trying his best to invite in the parts of life that aren't specifically his job. And despite having the equivalent of a plumbing job, there comes a moment where Orcbolg asks his fellow adventurers for help in beating back a wave of goblins, and while initially, it seems no one wants to do it because there's no prestige or monetary gain, because Orcbolg has let so many people into his life, his new friends help him rally a massive group of eager people.
There's so much to love in this story, so much genuine heart that it kills me that the first thing you'll see in the pages of this swan song to the power of letting people in is some of the most excessive depictions of sexual violence.
Perhaps the barrier to entry could be lowered, is all.
