A younger (idealistic and fairly ignorant) Fek had a thing for some of the older, more idealized animu like Trigun or Trinity Blood. They shared a basic story idea that involved a tortured soul trying to use some ancient and hardly understood power to be a force for "good" in the wake of a troubled/tortured past. Typically, that power was incredibly dangerous and the main character struggled to have control over it (keeping it from causing further harm). Sometimes they even failed in doing so, and the destruction the character would cause left them questioning whether or not they could ever truly be redeemed.
I actually enjoyed Hellsing for similar reasons, and thoroughly appreciated the completely different personal perspective of the main character. Instead of being what essentially amounted to a whiny bitch (looking at you in particular, Vash), Alucard had come to terms with exactly what he was and willingly submit to someone else's authority in using that ruinous power for protecting King (Queen?) and Country. He enjoyed being the monster, and understood he couldn't be trusted with the responsibility that came along with it. It left me wondering if it's better to be shackled and directed chaos lacking true freedom than it is to be (for better or for worse) ultimately free to cause ruin just as (or far more) easily as it would be to be a force for "good."
Essentially, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inner conflict of someone with the power/will to shape things around them choosing to do so for a net positive while avoiding falling into despair, nihilism, or the corrupting seduction their power could (and did) readily provide. I found it to be a fairly good take on what growing up into a man felt like at the time (fucking edgy teenagers, amirite).
Now, all that being said: Current Fek is disillusioned with the entire genre and can't typically be bothered with anime at all. Maybe I've been introduced to the wrong series given my old interests, but outside of partial bits of Berserk and Gungrave (everything that happens before the supernatural insanity starts), nothing else has really done it for me. The staggering majority of anime tropes are just god awful to me, personally (oh boy, time to listen to inner monologue for 10 mins while nothing of substance happens..oh boy, there's another 5 mins of the female character looking all distraught repeating the main character's fucking name while he's time traveling through a 30 second bit of action for the entirety of her mantra..etc, etc). I mean, you like what you like, right? If you do? Well, more power to you.
I think I'm probably just too old for that shit, frankly.
I actually enjoyed Hellsing for similar reasons, and thoroughly appreciated the completely different personal perspective of the main character. Instead of being what essentially amounted to a whiny bitch (looking at you in particular, Vash), Alucard had come to terms with exactly what he was and willingly submit to someone else's authority in using that ruinous power for protecting King (Queen?) and Country. He enjoyed being the monster, and understood he couldn't be trusted with the responsibility that came along with it. It left me wondering if it's better to be shackled and directed chaos lacking true freedom than it is to be (for better or for worse) ultimately free to cause ruin just as (or far more) easily as it would be to be a force for "good."
Essentially, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inner conflict of someone with the power/will to shape things around them choosing to do so for a net positive while avoiding falling into despair, nihilism, or the corrupting seduction their power could (and did) readily provide. I found it to be a fairly good take on what growing up into a man felt like at the time (fucking edgy teenagers, amirite).
Now, all that being said: Current Fek is disillusioned with the entire genre and can't typically be bothered with anime at all. Maybe I've been introduced to the wrong series given my old interests, but outside of partial bits of Berserk and Gungrave (everything that happens before the supernatural insanity starts), nothing else has really done it for me. The staggering majority of anime tropes are just god awful to me, personally (oh boy, time to listen to inner monologue for 10 mins while nothing of substance happens..oh boy, there's another 5 mins of the female character looking all distraught repeating the main character's fucking name while he's time traveling through a 30 second bit of action for the entirety of her mantra..etc, etc). I mean, you like what you like, right? If you do? Well, more power to you.
I think I'm probably just too old for that shit, frankly.