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Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy'
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TOPIC: Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy'
#53711
AmberEyes
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Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 0
what do you guys think about it? I find myself writing about Sesshomaru & Kagome w/ Sesshomaru being relatively violent. He is tormented by inner demons, but still, what are your opinions?
 
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#53714
AmaViarra
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 23
The question is rather vague, as 'bad guy' can vary from a lot of things. But I think most people like to transfer Sesshoumaru's personality in the manga and anime into fanfiction as his aloof nature is one of his main character points.

Generally 'aloof' will be mistaken as a 'bad character' because of the cool or off putting air that some aloof characters have.

I enjoy keeping Sesshoumaru aloof when first writing him and slowly letting the softer side of his character show. But generally it will take awhile for that side to show.

When I read a story, and he is an open book to the readers and other characters right away, I don't like it. It doesn't feel like I am reading a story with Sesshoumaru in it, and instead just a story with a different character with the same name. If that makes sense?

I adore Sesshoumaru for his 'bad boy' image. So I do like to see that kept in stories and if his other side is shown for it so be shown in small doses.

I honestly find Sesshoumaru's character to be very interesting, I have a hard time getting into his mind when writing him in a story, so while I sometimes struggle with that, writing his true character is a challenge I enjoy taking
 
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Last Edit: 2010/11/13 20:22 By PRVN.
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#53715
Miss Anna
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 15
It is easily done as he seems to be the type to be written as evil quite well.
I have a tendency to write him as evil though down the line he turns into a 'puppy' of sorts with his feelings. However it is really up the author because Sesshoumaru is a character you could write it to almost any emotion/feeling and still get him right...lol.
 
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#53718
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 0
sorry if i wasn't specific -- i meant abusive but not to the extent that he's doing it on 'purpose'
simply that he's fighting inner demons and finding himself doing things that he wouldn't normally do -- that he (maybe) needs help in some way?
 
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#53720
AmaViarra
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 23
Oh well then, I don't like that. While Sesshoumaru is very cold, I could not see him physically hurting someone without good reason(in his mind). Such as if someone invaded his land, harmed someone under his care, things like that.

I doubt he would excuse such behavior with a weak excuse of 'I had no control over myself' He seems like a very prideful creature, if he made a wrong due to his own weakness he would make up for it. But I doubt he would allow himself to fall to his own faults or admit that he even had any.

If that makes sense?
 
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Last Edit: 2010/11/13 20:47 By PRVN.
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#53724
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 29
well I'm not so much of a fan of Sesshomaru "needing help." Like he's mental or something... but I do enjoy angsty stories where he has personal demons to work through and is maybe a bit or even a lot of the antagonist. There are some really good plots where Sesshomaru betrays Kagome (usually tragic stories, but good) due to some misunderstanding (i.e. he thought she cheated when she didn't so in retribution he cheats, or is virbally cruel, or neglectful, etc) I DO NOT support stories where the M/F relationship involves domestic violence and ENDS with them getting back together. Thats like a big no-no for me.
 
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#53726
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 0
yeah! I don't know, I was kind of playing with an idea....I mean, in au of course, if he had a mental illness, or developed one...so he wouldn't realize the difference between right/wrong...or honestly couldn't control what he was feeling? Maybe something was eating away at him, that he just couldn't take. (I'm not sure if this next bit will make any sense : ) what if he had thoughts, that he just COULDN'T stand and (possibly already having a mental illness, depression ect) he couldn't control himself/couldn't keep himself from acting on his thoughts. If this makes no sense what so ever / sounds unbearably terrible, let me know!
 
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#53730
AmaViarra
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 23
In all honesty, it doesn't sound very appealing to me, or like something that I would be interested in reading.

But, there may be some people on this site or on fanfiction that will like the idea. Write for yourself first, if you like the idea, or want to try it-I say go for it. If it doesn't end up how you want it, you can just delete it or re-write it.
 
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#53742
Atailpha
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 5
I have read a WIDE range of varying interpretations of Sesshoumaru's character. I have a list of well over 100 fan fics with Kagome/Sesshoumaru that are MA rated alone, and others not MA.

I have seen him portrayed from the beginning as a nice, wishy-washy guy, and like PRVN says, that just doesn't seem Sesshy.

I do prefer to see a romance/relationship being eased into slowly. There are some stories that ease far too slowly, while others rush into things. Theirs is a relationship that can be difficult to writers because of the fact it is so outside the norm, the two have nearly complete conflicting personalities, races, and backgrounds. There is a very fine line between making the story believable, and make the story move too slow.

Though I am not a fan of it, there have been some VERY well written stories (at least in my opinion) where Sesshoumaru has abusive characteristics. Though I do favor the happy ending stories, there are times I do enjoy the realism, the plausibility, and the accuracy in relation to the times.

For example, Texanlady's The Breeder is actually a VERY realistic idea for that time in nearly any culture. Men were often quite brutal to women. If you ever get the chance, watch the movie, The Dutchess. The Relationship between the Duke and his wife are actually very accurate in most marriages around the world, sometimes even to the current day in some societies.

Another good example is Youkai Society by HeartlessEnchantress. Most marriages, in this case mating, nearly always had some sort of benefit, whether it be dowries, political aspects, or linking royal families, all classes from rich to poor (though lowerclass people usually got a fairer pick, and those of nobility were usually forced into marriage for some sort of gain for their family) had marriages made only for gain.

I am one who actually loves history. The author, Bertrice Small, writes historial fiction/romance novels. She is a wonderful author, and her detail and accuracy are astounding. But again, you do see a lot of the darker aspects of humanity. And while all of her characters eventually reach their happy ending in some form or another(with the exeption of one book, but that one is complicated), she does so realistically and accurately. Most of her books take place during King Henry VIII, and there is much death, betrayel, losses, and more.

So yes, I do believe Sesshoumaru can have a darker side. It is all in the interpretation of the writer/reader. I have seen very well written fics that depict him as either or, and both have been VERY believable.

I personally can see him in either direction. He could potentially be an abuser if it meant he maintained his dominancy. I DEFINATELY can see him being a strict disciplinarian with any "children/pups." Again, historically speaking, corporal punishments were most common for that time. I can see him as personally adminstering such punishments that would in modern times be called abuse.

And yet, I could also see him as repulsed to the idea of violence outside of the battlefield, and especially in regards to women and children. Though he nearly kills Kohaku for his slights to Rin, you know he is doing to to protect what he may very well consider his family. Even in modern days, I know of fathers who would go to such extremes to protect their own families if necessary. Even the few times he tries to attack Kagome can be explained. When she pulled out Tetsusaiga, he may have felt she was a threat to his rule as Lord of the West, and especially when she gave it to Inuyasha, it may have proved her as a threat. He may have felt that he needed the blade to protect his lands. The same applies for when he attacks her for attacking him. Not only is it defense, but it is a threat to him, the Lord of the West, and thus the protection of his lands. Other than those few times, Sesshoumaru, while aloof as PRVN says, and detached from the rest of the world, only seems to harm those who either get in his way or threaten him or his family/pack.

Again, I feel it all depends on the writer. I feel, if the writer can make it believable, even if it is or is not a happy ending, then kudos for them. It is difficult enough to portray characters in an original fiction, but to take characters from someone else's work to create another idea and develop those characters as accurately as possible is no easy feat. It is commendable to give any believable and moderately accurate personality to these characters.

And also, in my opinion, it is good to keep your mind broad and your options open. "Don't knock it til you try it." Like I already mentioned, I am not partial to most darkfics. I was not even sure I was going to like The Breeder. But as I read it, I actually found I enjoyed it. Did I appreciate the abuses? No. But did I enjoy the story itself? Very much. Sometimes you may miss out on some wonderful stories because you felt you wouldn't like it. Try a few chapters, and if you don't like it, well, at least you tried.

I tend to favor more adult rated fictions because I like the more realistic aspects. Very rarely in life will you find entirely G or even PG-13 rated aspects that are accurate and in truth reality. Especially having lived through a lot of reality, I find I crave a more realistic approach. Does that mean I neglect the "fairy's and butterfly's" aspects on life? No. But I find that do not appeal to me as much. That does not mean I don't read them. I actually have read (and maintain in my gigantic list of fics I have read/would like to read) that are not more adult centered and are actually accurate in reality as well as well written.

Granted, this is all my opinion, but I do try to approach this in a very logical and methodical way. Whether you agree or not remains to be seen, but one cannot argue the logic and the potential ideas.

I will admit to being curious to responses to my 'essay' though!
 
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#53771
AmaViarra
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 23
@Atailpha- You said what I was trying to say in a better way then I ever could. So I agree with you for the most, I absolutely loved 'The Breeder' while I generally do not like any stories with physical abuse in it, the physical punishment that was written into that story. The reason why it didn't bother me, was because as you mention it was written realistically and it fit into the time period and also, to me, matched Sesshoumaru's way of thinking.

He wasn't punishing her for some sick pleasure or because he was mistaken, it was because it was how he viewed things and how he was raised. The treatment of people in that time were very different compared to now a days.
 
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#53782
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 0
atailpha & PRVN

thank you thank you thank you! i'm very thankful for your guys' point of views! i think you guys just helped me a LOT. i think i'd lost a little bit too much 'sesshomaru' when i had the idea that i did, but now, thanks to the two of you i know that i should spend a little more time with it and alter it just a little bit so that it is closer to the story AND sesshomaru's character. though i still do think that i WOULD like to see sesshy with a problem BUT it would be much different from what i originally thought. Maybe instead of having an abusing issue he could have a paranoia issue and take everything as a threat to his family. I think i'd really just like to see a story where Sesshomaru has some emotional/personal growth, where he has self-issues that are worked through and helped. again, thank you both for your POVs! they REALLY helped. if there is anything that i can help either of you with, please ask!

/bows
 
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#53952
Yuuki Kaora
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 3
In the InuYasha series, he is the bad guy, but I hate it when he's such an emotionless guy. In my opinion, he has emotions, and just keeps them locked up behind his clod mask. Really, he's not such a cruel inu, he's just controlling himself too well.

As to when it comes to these fanfics, he shouldn't be portrayed as a lovesick puppy at the start, but his own cool self. The romance between Sessh/Kags should start slowly, it makes the story more realistic on that part. Sessh should be one of 'the good guys', really he can't be that bad. I couldn't make him a bad guy, my heart would shatter.
 
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#56641
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 2 Months ago Karma: 8
AmberEyes wrote:
yeah! I don't know, I was kind of playing with an idea....I mean, in au of course, if he had a mental illness, or developed one...so he wouldn't realize the difference between right/wrong...or honestly couldn't control what he was feeling? Maybe something was eating away at him, that he just couldn't take. (I'm not sure if this next bit will make any sense : ) what if he had thoughts, that he just COULDN'T stand and (possibly already having a mental illness, depression ect) he couldn't control himself/couldn't keep himself from acting on his thoughts. If this makes no sense what so ever / sounds unbearably terrible, let me know!

My Embrace the Silence fic involves Sesshoumaru dealing with post traumatic stress disorder. He went through something unthinkably horrific before the story takes place, and oh he tries to put his snobby nose up in the air and pretend he's fine, but Kagome can tell he's falling apart inside.


Stories involving the behavior of the times is something whose quality can only be determined by the skill level of the writer.
 
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#58248
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Re:Portraying Sesshomaru as a 'bad guy' 13 Years, 2 Months ago Karma: 57
Interesting, personally I couldn't see Sesshoumaru being abusive, though I could understand him reacting like a typical dog, and enacting discipline immediately. If you watch how actual canines interact, say wolves, or even an adult dog around puppies, the elder dog/higher ranked one in a pack won't hesitate to discipline another member of the Pack, or a pup if it does something wrong (e.g. biting another dog's tail), or being an annoyance.

Dogs don't tend to muck around like humans do, and being inuyoukai I'd envision the discipline would be immediate, especially for someone as lordly, and strong as Sesshoumaru. That's how I like to interpret him myself but everyone is different. It's interesting to play around I find too, and have him growl Rin for being foolish, or enacting gentle discipline with his own offspring with Kagome, say by teaching a life lesson. He's a fairly broad character, so you can go anywhere really. XD Which is why I really like the Sess/Kag pairing. Sesshy-sama is so dynamic.

~ Pyre
 
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