Spotlight Character: Claire "Vino" Stanfield (Baccano) MAL Character Information Page: Claire "Vino" Stanfield MAL Favorites: 205 For the next week I would like to have everyone familiar with Vino discuss what they think makes him an exceptional character. What attributes make him stand out in the ocean of interesting characters that exist in the realms of anime and manga. Unlike the other two subjects I will not force this conversation to fall into any set structure. Characters that are nominated typically get here because they are adept at breaking the existing character molds and defying definition. Because of this freedom I encourage everyone to do their very best to stay on topic and keep any and all debate civil. Have fun and I look forward to seeing what everyone has to say about this character. RESULTS OF THE "YOU DECIDE POLL" Claire "Vino" Stanfield was NOT inducted into the club Character list: 22 Yes - 18.64% 56 No - 47.46% 40 I don't know this Character - 33.90% |
Dark-EvolutionFeb 9, 2009 2:43 PM
  |
| Vino manages to be a ruthless killer while still retaining human emotions, as shown in the OVA, where his relationship with that mute girl deepens. Unlike many of the characters in Baccano!, he isn't technically immortal, but he believes himself to be. Thinking of himself as God, more or less, he believes that the world would cease to exist should he die, and since he doesn't want to die and has the absolute power, that just won't happen. Sadly, because of the show he's in, he doesn't get nearly enough screen time. That aside, I find him to be completely unique and much, much more interesting than your average antihero. Well, antihero might not be the correct term to use here, even. And he's handsome as well. 9/10 Verdict: YES! |
 |
| He was the only character I truly loved in this show. A paranoid assassin that still holds some kind of moral only he comprehends... Love, much love. And good looking! However, he was just not developed enough. I say No. |
 Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
| The guy is good in his role. In that sense, he's similar to Alucard from Hellsing, who was rejected, or Guts, who was accepted. Vino is a killer with a sense of morality. He talks too much. Never seen that one before... I may vote yes or no depending upon my mood. |
| Who was he again? Oh wait, he looked just like the other guys 'cept with the flaming hair. Pointless. |
 |
madeener said: Who was he again? Oh wait, he looked just like the other guys 'cept with the flaming hair. Pointless. If he was a girl with large breasts instead, we all know "Vino" would be your favorite character of all time. |
| ^ Bulls-eye. |
| |
| Not sure what the policy is on spoilers in these topics, but this post has some of them, so a word of warning. Someone let me know if I should use spoiler tags. He was probably the most entertaining character in Baccano - for me, at least. The fact that he was leaps and bounds above all the other characters in terms of fighting skill, and just general ability to adapt to various situations and deal with various characters, despite not even being immortal, is what stands out most about him. Although he brutally kills a heap of people, he always appears calm and rational, even showing hints of charm at some points. Aside from that, he is generally kind - to those who deserve it, which makes him a likable character. So, yes, he deserves it. Probably one of if not the 'best' character in Baccano, considering in a sense the plot centers around him (rail tracer). 9/10 |
| I think we figure most people reading the spotlights have seen the show, but if there's something extremely spoilerific like a major character death then you can still put it under a spoiler tag just in case. As far as Vino, I have to agree that he was the best character in the show. Personally, I was underwhelmed by the show and many of the stock personalities found within, but Vino was pretty much what kept me watching. I thought his personal mythos was unique, well-done, and gave him a sense of personality. Then the fact he killed people by holding them against train tracks until they were ripped apart is just a great bonus lol. One of the things many shows tend to forget is that killers need some interesting MO's or ethics to avoid being cardboard cutouts like Ladd. |
BlackMagic said: One of the things many shows tend to forget is that killers need some interesting MO's or at ethics to avoid being cardboard cutouts like Ladd. Really? I actually preferred Ladd to Vino by a small amount. |
| Hmm... I dunno. This guy doesn't exactly get a lot of screentime. And the impression I got of him in the Baccano OVA was completely different from the one I had in the series. Out of all the Baccano cast, Vino seems like a pretty weird choice, honestly. I think I'll go with no. Give me Jacuzzi, or Firo, or Nice, but Vino? Nah... |
| He doesn't get too much screen time, admittedly, but Tenchio probably said it best. Vino is fairly unique and I thought the series showed very well the contrast between his questionable methods and his underlying humanity. Although they aren't in direct conflict per se, to say the least, the result gives him an interesting personality as he does have a certain code of ethics, when you think about his actions. It helps that can hold his own in battle too, without the benefits of immortality. |
ShaolinRibiero said: BlackMagic said: One of the things many shows tend to forget is that killers need some interesting MO's or at ethics to avoid being cardboard cutouts like Ladd. Really? I actually preferred Ladd to Vino by a small amount. same i thought Ladd was pretty superior to Vino actually. He just got total pleasure from killing people, a true psychopath...it was nice to see just a true fucking loony instead of an overly complex villain with ridiculous motives for once...not every villain needs a reason to kill, some of them are just crazy and i think Ladd plays the role perfectly (especially when he explains the exact pleasure he gets from killing people in detail...gave me goosebumps). ...o right this was about Vino Ladd should get a spot in here before him >_> Vino was interesting just because he was so complex, a murdering madman, and yet a regular guy who couldn't figure out how to approach a girl....interesting concept and character, but he just fails in comparison to Ladd...Ill prolly still vote him in tho 8/10 |
DreamTheater2112Feb 1, 2009 10:54 PM
| I don't like Ladd as much as Vino just because he didn't have a reason. That sort of makes Ladd a hollow character for me. Vino, on the other hand, was a very unique character. No one in Baccano really gets much screentime because it's a 12 episode anime with many main characters. From what we saw of Vino, I'd say he's one of the most interesting of the Baccano cast. So... yes. |
 Znips: When Shay is born she just crawls back in the womb to shitpost for another year |
Amaya-no-Hime said: I don't like Ladd as much as Vino just because he didn't have a reason. It's funny, because it's actually the complete opposite Ladd derived joy from killing. The exact nature of this was explained at length in both the main series and OVA. It's not a deep reason, but there's a rational for what he does. Vino, on the other hand, was given absolutely no reason to be an assassin. He just was. That's okay too, but according to your reasoning, Ladd is a better character than Vino. |
| From the whole series I always supposed all the characters were equally "good". The series does not work without any of them. Between Ladd and Vino I like Vino the best, because I like his design (call me fangirl, yes) I think that Vino's reason was as clear as Ladd's even though quite different. His "sense of justice" obligued him to kill and the pleasure generated from the killing was just food for his "fair" ego. I considered that he was killing everyone because he considered all the users of the train "evil" (white-suits vs black-suits was an obvious reason) He has a reason, it's just not logical. |
Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
ladyxzeus said: His "sense of justice" obligued him to kill That's not a reason. A reason would be "he feels that human beings are fundamentally incapable of change, and thus, the only way to purge the world of the evil ones is by killing them." Something as vague as "sense of justice", which isn't even explicitly stated in the series, is no rationale for someone becoming an assassin. Again, that's not to say that he necessarily needs one. |
| As much as I like him, and fangril over him I have to say NO. He is just cool crazy character made to clash with the rest of the Baccano cast. He doesn't make a significant development both internally and externally that gives depth to Baccano nor himself. |
"One way, Jesus, You're the only one that I could live for! You are the way, the truth and the life. We live by faith and not by sight... " |
ShaolinRibiero said: ladyxzeus said: His "sense of justice" obligued him to kill Something as vague as "sense of justice", which isn't even explicitly stated in the series, is no rationale for someone becoming an assassin. Again, that's not to say that he necessarily needs one. They say it (a very secondary person, explaining who he was. To someone. ^^¨) Anyway, he's completely crazy. His reasons are probably beyond our comprehension. xD Still, why should I keep defending the fact that he has an inner logic? I don't think he deserves a place, anyway. Nobody from this series. I think they only make sense all together. |
Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
ladyxzeus said: Still, why should I keep defending the fact that he has an inner logic? I don't think he deserves a place, anyway. Nobody from this series. I think they only make sense all together. I would induct Ladd for certain. Vino...possibly. |
| Great character, but i can't say he is quite exceptional. I don't think whether his sense of justice making him kill matters much in deciding whether he is a good character or not. That's how he was, agreeing with his way of doing things shouldn't affect our judgments. I do not think he was poorly developed, just not quite exceptional. |
| A lot of people I've talked to seem to share the same enjoyment of Ladd, but he just came across as very generic to me. And the bad thing about trying to explain this is the fact that I usually only give fringe attention to such characters since I see them all the time. I guess the best I can say is that Ladd seems all too familiar to hundreds of 'enforcer' types that I've seen in mafia & gang movies. Not to say that an enforcer can't have an engaging personality and murky past to go spelunking in, but Baccano is hardly the vehicle for it and for the most part any potential in the series' characters remains unexposed. That's really just par for the course with this type of story unless they are willing to give it more length. I haven't read any of the novels so I can't say whether any of these characters are better fleshed out, but I think that's irrelevant since light novels aren't eligible as manga nominations in this club. We've already said a long time ago that we wouldn't include light novels in the category of manga since they differ enough to warrant a unique measuring stick to gauge them. While many of the supporters of the series might argue that the novels are required to see the characters to their fullest, I've also seen a great manga, Battle Royale, shot down by people for no reason other than "the book is better". So for the sake of consistency, I only look at anime & manga and leave other mediums alone other than to make the occasional metaphor or comparison. |
BlackMagic said: A lot of people I've talked to seem to share the same enjoyment of Ladd, but he just came across as very generic to me. And the bad thing about trying to explain this is the fact that I usually only give fringe attention to such characters since I see them all the time. I guess the best I can say is that Ladd seems all too familiar to hundreds of 'enforcer' types that I've seen in mafia & gang movies. No, you're absolutely right. I've seen hundreds of Ladds in live action films, and probably twice as many Vinos. But that's par for the course in movies, which far surpass anime in terms of characters, because, get this...the roles are played by real human beings, not animations. Whatever. At least it's an enjoyable character type and superior to half the current inductions. |
| Though I'm talking solely within the real of anime this is how he comes off to me. Maybe it's because I've seen tons of those 90s ovas lol. I can't really say much about the state of our current character relations list other than that I don't mind having some dubious entries so long as a decent number of the necessary ones are on there as well. |
| Yeah, i absolutely agree that Baccano! doesn't depend on a protagonist who carries the show on his/her shoulder all the way but in a way has many protagonists who carry it all together. So, although i do like Vino, he doesn't stand out much among all the characters,and i think "7" should be quite enough for him.^^ But again I can't help but love almost every character in Baccano! |
   |
ShaolinRibiero said: It's funny, because it's actually the complete opposite Ladd derived joy from killing. The exact nature of this was explained at length in both the main series and OVA. It's not a deep reason, but there's a rational for what he does. Vino, on the other hand, was given absolutely no reason to be an assassin. He just was. That's okay too, but according to your reasoning, Ladd is a better character than Vino. Ah, I didn't explain myself properly. What I really meant is, as you said, Ladd's reason wasn't very deep. It felt sort of "superficial" though it was interesting. Some of Vino's characteristics reminded me vaguely of Light. Admittedly, his hatred for people who did anything evil wasn't really explained in detail, but we can't just say he didn't have any reason. |
Znips: When Shay is born she just crawls back in the womb to shitpost for another year |
| I don't think that what moved Vino was hatred. It was more like an obligation, kind of explicit at his first conversation with the train's "staff". Which turns him even funnier. He is as disturbed as Ladd, but in a different "fair" way. |
Waratte Oemashou Sore ha Chiisana Inori |
More topics from this board
Sticky: » The End of Critics and ConnoisseursHiroM_ - Dec 31, 2022 |
31 |
by danz
»»
Nov 10, 2023 1:08 AM |
|
» Challenge You Decide: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (Anime) (1/1)HiroM_ - Dec 3, 2022 |
44 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:10 PM |
|
» You Decide: Golden Kamuy 2nd Season (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 2, 2022 |
42 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:10 PM |
|
» Resurrected You Decide: Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 2, 2022 |
47 |
by 25saix
»»
Dec 30, 2022 3:09 PM |
|
» Blue N Rescue Mission: Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma (Anime) (12/4)HiroM_ - Dec 3, 2022 |
24 |
by Dramaddict
»»
Dec 28, 2022 6:02 PM |