#tcf manhwa review series

[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 8

Trash of the Count’s Family Manhwa: Chapter 8

(This is actually the second time I'm writing this chapter's review, because Tumblr glitched out on me at the last second and deleted all of my work before I could post it. I tried to replicate it but I'm sure I missed some things – so this is the shorter, less detailed version. Sorry about that.)

We start off with Cale noticing how Ron apparently has been feeding Choi Han well (suuure Cale, you don't care at all about the well-being of this protagonist, you're just using him… uhuh, I totally believe you), and how apparently Choi Han, Beacrox/Vicross – depending on translation – and Ron are all getting along (suuure Cale 🤣).

Then we get an adorable, sincere face of Choi Han who wants to repay Cale for his kindness. I honestly adore Choi Han's design, it's simple but it's just so cute.

Cale notices how the events are gradually diverting from "The Birth of a Hero" (TBOAH) story-line, and how much more they will change when he goes to the capital. He puts a page on the table and starts "interviewing" Choi Han: he asks him whether he can protect. Choi Han is surprised at the question.

Cale thinks on how he can profit from the current situation and we get the first "no-eyes" shot of this chapter – only 1/5 awkwardness rating, since I barely caught it. Cale is planning on taking the "Ancient Powers" before Choi Han and his companions from TBOAH can get them. Honestly speaking, when I first read this part, it made me think Cale really isn't a selfless person, just like his inner narrator kept insisting. However, we will soon find out that despite Cale framing it in such a selfish manner – coming in and stealing other people's good luck before they can get it – he admits to the audience that "they won't need them anyway". Turns out Ancient Powers really are supposed to be minor power-ups, which didn't serve a larger purpose in the original story-line. In retrospection, Cale really has a tendency of framing his "misdeeds" as if they're the ultimate proof that he absolutely cannot be a good person, while downplaying all of his acts of charity and selflessness as if they didn't matter. What a charming hypocrite you are, Cale…

Anyway, Cale continues the interview. Choi Han doubts himself, because of course he does – he just failed to save the entire village of people who were like family to him. Then Cale asks him if he can kill. Choi Han naturally responds yes. He did kill all the assassins, after all. Cale tells him that he can protect as well, then. Choi Han says that would be difficult. But Cale responds that "difficult doesn't mean impossible".

We are reminded about Kim Rok Soo's backstory of a difficult past as a poor orphan. It's the reason he's so happy that he got transmigrated as a rich trash/lout like OG Cale. But now Cale faces an obstacle to his desired peaceful life, so he needs Choi Han to get through it – naturally ignoring the fact that by doing so, he's helping Choi Han with his problems as well.

(...And getting involved in the very plot he didn't want to get involved with from the start – but as we've established by now, our MC's self-awareness is equal to that of a potato sometimes 😂)

Choi Han smiles as he agrees with Cale and ahhh, why is he so cute?? I wanna squish that over-century-old teenager's cheeks! 🤗

Then Cale finishes off the interview by asking Choi Han his name. He knows it by now, obviously, but he wants to hear it from Choi Han himself. I'm not 100% sure how to interpret Cale gesture here – if maybe that's some Korean culture aspect that I'm missing – but if I had to guess… I think that's his way of showing respect? Like, accepting Choi Han as a proper employee. Which is just so wholesome of Cale. He really has no idea what a nice guy he is.

When Choi Han asks "You don't know my name?", we get a long-distance image where we can still clearly see Choi Han and Cale's expression. So that's very nice. Unfortunately, we get another "no-eyes" shot from Cale in the very next panel, and it's reaaally noticeable and obvious, so I'm giving it a 4/5.

But Choi Han's happy smile as he reaches out to Cale is great. And the way the hands are drawn is fantastic, as always. So an awkward panel here and there is a small price to pay, I think.

Now that our main heroes finally introduced themselves and Cale officially hired Choi Han, Cale passes him the page we saw at the beginning. Choi Han reads two names on it: Rosalyn and Lock/Lark – once again, depends on translation.

We get some exposition on the new characters (whose eyes are covered, but since they count as "mysterious, yet-to-be-revealed characters", I'm giving it a pass): Rosalyn is a princess who survived an assassination attempt, as well as an incredible mage who would lead the strongest Magic Tower in the future. Lock/Lark is the heir and only survivor of the Blue Wolf Tribe, who can transform into a powerful beastman through "berserk transformation".

Cale get chills as he remembers how TBOAH, Beacrox/Vicross would torture those who tried to assassinate Rosalyn. That panel is surprisingly bloody, considering how earlier all violent scenes got significantly censored… I'm really impressed! It looks scary and gory, but it's amazing. Such a minor scene got so much detail, the artist is really someone special.

(Also, Cale's disturbed expression is quite hilarious, not gonna lie 😏)

With another "no-eyes" shot (let's give it a 2/5) Cale says it's a good thing Choi Han can read, and before anyone can accuse him of being patronizing – that's a valid concern, since education doesn't seem to be a requirement among peasantry in this world. Cale is actually being very clever by staying in-character as a noble – from that point of view, Choi Han's ability to read wasn't guaranteed at all.

Next, Cale pulls out a map and – wait… seriously? The map of the continent? Cale, wasn't there any smaller-scale maps?? I'm pretty sure a country map would be enough! Or is this "subtle" exposition for the audience? ...Or maybe since this map will be used more in the future, the artist just didn't bother with a country-sized map, since they would have to make up a lot of towns or something.

Either way – we get what I think is our first close look at this world's layout. Cale points at the right middle side, so this is where this country (yet unnamed at this point, I believe) is located on the continent. The castle in the middle apparently symbolizes the capital, where Cale is going. The buildings at the North-East stand for the Henituse territory, their journey's starting point. Cale plans on taking Choi Han with him part of the way, before splitting up. There is a reason for that.

We get some more exposition: in TBOAH, there was a villain Marquis/Marquess – again, depending on translation. Both are accurate nobility titles, one rank before the Duke position. That person served as an antagonist to Choi Han and the crown prince. He also raised a "crazy dragon".

Then we get more TBOAH story content: a dragon, less than 5 years old, was tortured in an attempt to tame it. However, it broke free and went berserk (or more accurately, into "mana explosion state", since the "berserk state" is solely for the Beast People), killing innocent villagers. Choi Han fought the dragon and killed it out of mercy.

Now lets get into the most interesting topic to discuss this chapter: the visual representation of the dragon's rampage.

I admit, the first time I read this I totally missed the part about the dragon being only 4. The way this sequence was shown in the Manhwa made me believe this was an adult dragon. It isn't a spoiler to say that wasn't the case since the age is right there: also, at the beginning we were told that Choi Han has been gifted "the lifespan of a dragon, making him pretty much never age". Based on that information, it's obvious that dragons are VERY long lived, so less than 5 years makes it a kid, if not an infant. In the novel we get even more information: the dragon was small, about 1 meter (about 3.3 feet) in length and described as very cute.

So here's the question: why was this dragon drawn like an adult?

When I started writing this review, I thought perhaps it was hidden for a future twist: the Manhwa-only readers would expect a huge, scary beast, and would get a surprise in the form of a small adorable baby later on – just like I did, when I read it for the first time.

I even came up with a theory how such a thing could canonically make sense – the dragon growing in size so much while going berserk. In some lore we will get much, much later, we find out that dragons go through sudden growth phases, instead of growing gradually. If the dragon broke free by cutting through some of its life force… that means it could have forcefully sped up its growth, with potentially very deadly consequences. So this change isn't necessarily a plot-hole or anything.

However, the more I thought about it… I realized what was likely the true reason.

The reason I'm content with this representation of the scene, is that aside from being very well-drawn and dramatic... I didn't want to see a baby get murdered on screen. But what if the artist's reason was the same? It is a form of censorship, in a way – just like drawing less blood in a village massacre.

...Or maybe it's because it's all Cale's imagination and he just thinks dragons are scary 😅 Who knows!

Back to the chapter – Cale knows he can't avoid the village where that event took place, since it's on his way to the capital. He plans on either having Choi Han take care of the dragon again, or releasing it before it can go crazy. I think we all know where this is going… 😏

Cale tells Choi Han to bring Rosalyn and Lock/Lark to the capital as repayment. Choi Han asks if his job is to protect them. Cale tells him to "do whatever he wants", which is especially sweet since it's 100% sincere sentiment from Cale that will repeat a lot in the future. Cale believes in the freedom of choice for his allies; so even though he manipulates people and lies sometimes, he never forces them to act against their will or judgment. He's sending Choi Han to meet Rosalyn and Lock/Lark like he did in TBOAH, but he doesn't force him to form a relationship with them – they don't need his protection, they're powerful and capable people in their own right. (And Cale's unconditional belief in their abilities will cause a lot of beautiful misunderstandings in the future… 😂)

Cale also tells Choi Han to come to the capital uninjured – because he needs him healthy for the plan, of course! It's not like he cares for his well-being or anything… 🤣

Once Choi Han confirms that he can protect himself, Cale finally dismisses him (with a beautifully-drawn hand btw) and tells him to keep their discussion a secret. Choi Han says "I know" and leaves.

After a lovely transition of a starry night with a full moon above the Henituse mansion… we see Cale speaking with the Count, requesting money (because of course he is, lol). Deruth agrees without hesitation, showing once more he is a very generous father. We get 3 "no-eyes" shots one after another: Deruth, Cale & Ron, and separately I'd give them 1, 3 & 2, maybe... but together like that… mm… I'm giving those the first 5/5 awkwardness rating. That was just too many in too little space, you can't just not notice it.

We see Cale chilling in bed with his money check, with Ron serving him lemon tea, "made especially for him, for a good night's sleep". Allow me to remind you that Cale shares taste with OG Cale and dislikes sour things and likes sweet things instead. Also, Ron absolutely knows about that. He's just being a jerk on purpose 😂

Before he leaves, Ron also tells Cale to "remember that he is always right beside him", and I'm not sure he intends it to sound like a threat… but Cale sure hears it that way, judging from his expression! The relationship between this two really is comedy gold.

Now Cale is really set on sending off that sly assassin and his son with Choi Han in the future. Good thing they're all getting along well... Riiiight, Cale?? 🤣

And thats the chapter! Despite those "no-eyes" shots, there were so many beautiful panels with amazing expressions and detailed imagery, I really enjoyed it. Not to mention the humor. And my favorite dragon finally showing up! I really love this story.

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[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 5

Trash of the Count’s Family Manhwa: Chapter 5

We start off with Choi Han getting up to follow Cale. Then Cale sees the red kitten affectionately rubbing its head against his leg. He thinks that he doesn't really like cats, but this one is cute. (Tsundere much, Cale?? 😂) He notices Choi Han looking at him, so he pets it "to keep up appearances" (c'mon, Cale, just admit you wanted to pet the adorable little kitten...), much to the disapproval of the silver kitten, which seems more cautious. The cats leave, and so do Cale and Choi Han.

Cale feels Choi Han staring at his back and thinks he's probably evaluating whether he's easy to kill or not. While that's not unlikely – I admit this is the point where I started to realize how hilariously paranoid Cale can be. It's like he's unable to comprehend that people can be – oh I don't know... curious about him, maybe? Or confused?? Which I bet Choi Han would be, in this situation. Cale just randomly came up to him and invited him to a free meal, after all. Cale, honey... learn to read the room, would you??

The image of Choi Han staring looks pretty menacing, though, I'm not gonna lie... If that's how Cale sees everyone all the time, then no wonder he's so paranoid, haha!

They reach the guards at the gate, who start stuttering as Cale approaches – much to Cale's annoyance. Ron greets them inside, and Cale once again thinks of how scary he is (poor Cale, surrounded by such intimidating people...). Meanwhile, Ron and Choi Han exchange looks, and judging by the colorful visual representation of the moment, it is not the friendly kind. The image looks really cool, and Cale thinking "am I hallucinating, or is there a weird spark between them?" makes the whole thing even better; Ron and Choi Han just became bitter enemies, while Cale is completely oblivious to the meaning behind their staring contest. To me this three-way exchange is hilarious, for several reasons:

It's quite easy to figure out that despite Cale's paranoia over meeting Choi Han – who was supposed to beat up OG Cale in the novel – the current Choi Han seems to look favorably at Cale. Now, he's just entered his benefactor's home. Ron is an assassin; and Choi Han can tell, since he's a Sword Master. Seeing such a dangerous individual by Cale's side – who by all appearances seems unaware of Ron's identity – activated his protective instincts.

On the other side there's Ron, believing the same of Cale; probably thinking that Cale has no idea how dangerous this stranger he just brought home with him is. His "Intruder!!!" instincts are probably blaring loudly in alarm.

And then there's Cale, convinced that either of them could murder him at any moment. Meanwhile, the two fighters are quite ready to murder each other – in order to protect Cale.

In other words: it's the first misunderstanding of this chapter and I'm already struggling to keep my laughter in check. This novel really is comedy gold 🤣

Ron asks Cale what is going on, and offers to handle the guest for him. Cale declines, oblivious to the fact that Ron is probably worried. (A quick "no-eyes" shot from Ron, but honestly it looks fine to me; 0/5 awkwardness rating.) Cale declines, thinking it should be fine now, since he let Choi Han and Ron meet: now the plot of "The Birth of a Hero" (TBOAH for short) should be back on track, allowing them to become companions later. (Mmm... I wouldn't be so sure about that, darling...)

He comes across Hans, who is introduced as the Deputy Butler responsible for Cale's well-being. Hans is happy to see Cale back, "even after drinking alcohol", implying that usually he has to look for him to bring him back. Cale brings the bottle in his hand in front of him with a sharp gesture, making it seem as if he's about to throw it. Hans freaks out, expecting it to happen. But much to his surprise, Cale simply tells him to put it away, promising to "actually throw it at him next time". (I have a strange feeling he won't keep that promise though, lol...) Then he leaves, much to Hans' consternation.

Cale enters "Kitchen #2" to find another member of Choi Han's party from TBOAH: Ron Molan's son named Beacrox – or Vicross, depending on translation. I'll be using the names used in the Manhwa, so I'm sticking with Beacrox.

Beacrox is "another terrifying guy", according to Cale, as this master chef is actually also a torture expert and a proficient fighter. In TBOAH, when he saw Choi Han beating up OG Cale, he was amazed by his skills and decided to follow him. Cale is planning on having Beacrox follow Choi Han this time as well, so that both the son and the father leave with the protagonist. So he tells Beacrox to give Choi Han something to eat.

Beacrox doesn't seem keen on the suggestion (I really like his design: very cold-looking and professional, just fitting for his character). However, Cale repeats the order, so Beacrox agrees with a sigh. Cale smirks, convinced that everything's going according to plan. There's a cute bowling pin image of the trio and I adore that visual metaphor: especially since the pins are actually standing still, implying that Cale in fact has missed his mark, even though he doesn't realize it.

Cale says he's also hungry, and just to act extra "trashy", he adds that it has to be high-quality (as if they would feed the son of a Count anything else, Cale! 😂). Then he promptly compliments Beacrox's cooking, completely ruining the act. Becacrox looks confused as Cale calls him an amazing chef (probably to promote him to Choi Han as a valuable party member to get rid of him easier, lol), since OG Cale probably never did that – as we remember from a couple chapters back, when Count Deruth expected Cale to say that the food tastes like garbage. We have yet another misuderstanding on our hands and I'm living for it ❤️

Hans asks Cale what should he do about the Choi Han (another "no-eyes" shot, but it's also good-looking so I don't mind), who stands in the background looking small and confused – the poor man. Cale orders the butler to take care of him as his guest, leaving Hans staring after him with a thoughtful expression.

Next we see Hans reporting to the Count about his son's activites of the day. He asks if they should put a tail on him, but Deruth says there's no need: as long as Cale stays in the city, they should just keep observing him and bring reports as usual. Count Deruth dismisses Hans and starts thinking how Cale has changed, giving us a very nice image of his face up close. End chapter.

Maybe it was just me, but I think this was the funniest chapter so far. Maybe without context it isn't half as funny to the average reader, but it was interesting to say the least (especially visually). Cale's plans are coming into motion: except it is not at all the motion that he's predicting. It's going to be great 😄

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[blueteller]

"Trash of the Count's Family" Review Series: Chapter 0

I've realized something quite terrible today.

I joined the TCF/LCF fandom recently and I wanted to see some reviews, since reading comments and seeing other people's reactions is half the joy of being in a fan community. Except, when I tried to check out some reviews...

I couldn't find any.

Seriously, I can't find any reviews!! Anywhere!!! This is criminal! How can there be no reviews?! This series is quite popular, or at least it seems like it! There's plenty of fans on tumblr! Why is the review section of this fandom like a barren desert!?

Then, came my moment of enlightment:

if there are no reviews, then I shall make them myself 😎

Reviewing the webnovel would be an incredibly daunting task, I'm not gonna lie (with over 770 chapters, it would take years!), so I'll stick with the manhwa for now. There are currently 77 chapters out (almost exactly 1/10th of the whole story – nice!), so I'll have plenty of material for a while, before I run out.

Just so you know – I like analyzing stuff, but I do not consider myself a harsh critic. I'm inclined to be more forgiving of things I actually like, in contrast to how many errors I can find in something I disapprove of. However, I will try my best to acknowledge flaws and be a fair judge of content.

With all that said – let's begin Blue Teller's TCF/LCF review series. Please enjoy!

***

Trash of the Count's Family Manhwa: Chapter 0 (Prologue)

The first chapter is numbered 0, as it serves as a prologue instead of an actual chapter. It mirrors the webnovel well in that aspect: as the book also starts with a prologue, told in 1st person point of view – unlike the rest of the story, which has typical 3rd person POV. It is an important detail, as the majority of this story's comedy comes across through various misunderstandings. It would be impossible for the reader to experience them fully if we were stuck in Cale's POV. But the prologue being in 1st person POV also gives the novel that classic isekai vibe: which is fairly misleading, as we will find out in the future. I believe it is a deliberate move on the author's part. But we will get to that later... much, much later.

We begin with a dark background. Then, fire appears. Ominous. Something terrible is going on, the reader can already tell.

Then we get the title "The Birth of a Hero".

With flames connecting images, we get exposition about a book: classic fantasy isekai premise, with a Korean teen (kinda?) as the protagonist. We see our MC, Choi Han, meet people in a certain village, then return one day to find them all dead. The narrator explains how Choi Han was pure and innocent before, but the incident causes him to snap and kill people for the first time, in revenge for the villagers who were like family to him.

The panel with Choi Han's enraged expression is pretty amazing, as we can still tell that his facial features are supposed to be young and soft, despite how twisted they are in the moment. There are subtle shadows around his eyes, and sparks float around him: partly because the village is burning, partly because they symbolize the spark that made such a kind-hearted person go on a bloody rampage.

In the next several images we see Choi Han fighting and killing the assailants: the artist displays their skill with dynamic images. You can tell Choi Han's movement in every frame, despite the pictures being still. It is very well done.

While the scene isn't nearly as bloody as it probably should have been, you can tell the artist is under obligation to censor most of the violence, including the gore. There are splatters of blood visible in several shots, but not much of it. Considering how bloody this webnovel is – in the most literal sense – some fans could take that as a bad sign. However, I am not a big fan of gore either, so I can't say I mind it... There's still some blood, so it could have been much worse.

We can still tell that Choi Han definitely, very much murdered a bunch of people. I don't care if the scenery isn't entirely covered in blood, even if technically it should be. (It was probably also easier to draw, to be honest.)

The next is another close-up of Choi Han and to be honest with you, I can't tell if he's sweating or crying. Either way... it looks very painful and quite heartbreaking. You can tell that revenge did not give Choi Han as much relief as he would have hoped.

The narrator explains that Choi Han failed to get any information from his enemies, and once he snapped out of his blind rage, he was overcome by despair.

Next we see Choi Han burying the villagers and crying (this time it's definitely crying) while swearing revenge. The narrator tells us that Choi Han then truly understood sadness, and Choi Han leaves the village, ending the dark background which had been present since the beginning. The dark introductory part is now officially over.

Next, we see a noble crest of a Golden Turtle, with a shell shaped as a rocky mountain. Choi Han arrives in a city, which to my knowledge is either called Weston, Westin, or Rain City, depending on translation.

Next we see the face of our true protagonist for the first time, and to be honest – the style is kind of weird for me here. I noticed there are numerous images where there is only one character present, and yet for some reason, the author refuses to draw their eyes. It's certainly a convenient shortcut in drawing, and I've seen some mangas and animes apply this technique. However, usually that's reserved for background characters, character's with faces yet-to-be-revealed, characters standing far away from the viewer, OR characters hiding their emotions.

While you could argue that OG Cale (original Cale, the character before our MC's transmigration) is a mysterious figure and thus not showing his eyes is justified... it's not the only moment where I find the use of the "no-eyes" technique extremely awkward. I will be definitely mentioning more in the future, as I think this author has a problem with it. It doesn't look terrible, but... it doesn't look good, either.

Anyway, Choi Han gets angry at this noble "ruffian" (BTW, Choi Han's "no-eyes" shot look much better, at least there's a fringe and shadows covering them – as it should be!!) named Cale and beats him up... with a lamp? LOL, that part wasn't in the novel?? But it's kinda hilarious. I approve. You can make so many puns with that: "Allow me to enlighten you, Young Master~!" 😂

(Also, how the heck a lamp like that works in this world?? There's no electricity here... I assume it must run on mana or something. Eh, whatever.)

Then finally, we are given the first look at our true protagonist, Cale Henituse; in all his bare-chested glory, haha.

I admit, I am kind of a prude, so I don't like looking at the shots of Cale's bare torso very much. But I can imagine the crowds of thirsty fans eagerly thanking the author for the fanservice. I checked the novel just to be sure, and while Cale looks at his body in the mirror and comments that it is very handsome and fit, it does not mention whether he was looking at himself naked or not. I mean, he takes a bath soon afterwards, so it's not a big leap of logic, but... Let's face it, the author just wanted to draw Cale half-naked. Very well, who am I to judge. Since this novel has no romance in it, this is the most action those poor thirsty fans will get. Enjoy it while it lasts, I suppose. Next time Cale exposes his skin to this extent, he will definitely be dying or something.

No, wait, there's also that bathrobe scene in like 50 chapters, isn't there...? Darn, the author really likes drawing Cale exposed. Ok, have some fanservice as a treat, why don't you... I'll just politely avert my eyes.

Anyway, we are finally meeting our MC, Cale, aka. Kim Rok Soo, the transmigrator who fell asleep reading a novel, and the next day woke up as one of its minor villains. We see a glimpse of Cale's old body, and all we can tell is that KRS has (probably) black hair, a fit body and a black outfit. Pretty non-descript.

KRS, which will be called Cale from now on, looks at himself in the mirror, and thinks that this is bad. His expression is kind of cute, as you can tell through the sweat drops that he's distressed, but he keeps a rather calm expression in spite of the situation. This will become a trend, because even though the Manhwa made Cale more expressive than in the webnovel, he's still someone who appears calm almost all of the time. It will cause quite a lot of misunderstandings in the future.

Cale thinks about his situation and provides some background about himself: he was an orphan who didn't have friends or family to miss back home. So, he decides to make most of this new chance at life.

We get more shots of Cale as he considers his lack of scar, and who OG Cale was as a character. Once again, I really love his expressions. They're very calm and thoughtful and they really fit his character a lot. The author truly came up with an excellent design for the MC.

There is some more of exposition monologue, which the author birlliantly illustrates with images of the room Cale is currently in. It's a clever technique, as they are clearly from Cale's POV, and we get a better idea of his surroundings and the atmosphere. Simply put: Cale's family is loaded, and you can tell from every item in the room. Very good use of "time" by the author.

We also get the first "chibi" image of Choi Han, and it's adorable.

The panel of Cale's Very Serious Face as he states "For now, let's try not to get hit" is the first glimpse of comedy in TCF. It all starts with Cale's very simple and very selfish motive: he doesn't want to get beaten up by Choi Han, the protagonist of "The Birth of a Hero" novel. Cale's very simple plan will soon become very complicated, and the viewer can tell from the dramatic ZING effect in the background. Cale, darling, I have a strong feeling it won't turn out quite as you hope...

Another shot of Cale's naked body, the biggest thus far, please spare me I am a poor little prude over here... also, I can hear all the thirsty fans fainting and nosebleeding over here. My goodness. That's enough of that bathing scene, thank you!

We finish off with Cale stating his dream – to live a peaceful life – and that's the end of the prologue.

Nakedness aside, this chapter was a very solid introduction. The art style is very nice, and depite my nitpicks I think the author is really talented. The story is framed in an interesting way with a glimpse of humor, which will get explored later. Overall, not a bad start, not at all.

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[blueteller]

"Trash of the Count's Family" Review Series: Index

Chapter 0

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

#tcf #trash of the count's family #lcf #lout of the count’s family #tcf manhwa #review #manhwa review #tcf manhwa review series #index

[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 7

Trash of the Count’s Family Manhwa: Chapter 7

We're back with the "man-eating tree" – which is still not old-looking or scary at all (sorry, it's the truth!!) – and Cale continues to feed it bread. A voice keeps asking for more, which is "driving him crazy". It's the voice of a woman mentioned in "the Birth of a Hero" (TBOAH), who was once a priestess that starved to death.

Then Cale remembers he must return home before dinner, as he promised to visit Deruth in the study. He needs to hurry up, as he has planned to satisfy half the tree's gluttony by today. He sees the two silver and red haired kids again, eating the bread he gave them. Cale "tsks" as if he doesn't care, but I think we all know better by now. When's the adoption happening, darling? 😏

Cale walks the streets, thinking of finding another bakery as he already swept all of the previous one's stock for today. Then a woman approaches him, telling him that they have plenty of bread at their bakery. Cale thinks how "now this is a woman who knows how to do business" and pays her a gold coin (aka. overpays her a lot it seems), much to her joy. She quickly delivers him a bag full of bread and Cale is impressed with how quickly she did it. (She probably had it prepared already after a rumor spread about Cale's bread buying spree. He's right, she really is a good sales-woman, haha!) She also offers to prepare him some more later. Another baker approaches Cale right after her. Cale is pleased with how fast things are advancing.

Meanwhile, someone is Cale from the shadows. Turns out it's Beacrox, Ron's son. He wonders if Cale went crazy. His father told him that Cale was "an interesting kid" and at first he didn't care. But the more he's observing him, the more he's starting to agree. He thinks it'll be as much fun watching him as Choi Han. Beacrox comes off as quite cold and sinister here, I'm not gonna lie... but the reader doesn't get the sense that Cale is in danger quite yet. It leaves the audience with an interesting feeling; not quite anticipation, not quite tension, but something in between.

Next we see Cale giving the silver-haired girl some herbs in a jar. She's confused why it isn't bread. The red haired boy – whose legs seem bruised/injured – says how "it isn't cake either". It seems there was a skipped scene from the novel, where Cale had given them meat and cake aside from bread. Cale wants to go over to the tree, but the kids block his way again, insisting that he can't die (I don't blame them, I certainly wouldn't want my food provider to get killed by an evil tree).

Then we get an interesting glimpse of Kim Rok Soo's past. Once again, we're reminded that he was an orphan. He also "didn't have anything to his name", so a lot of people showed him sympathy. Cale reflects on how he misunderstood that sympathy in the past. Only after growing up he realized that there didn't need to be a reason for it; now that he detests seeing children in pain and misery.

It's funny how in the novel, Cale repeatedly tells himself how he "doesn't want to concern himself with others", that he "hates people meddling in other people's business" and that he "won't console the children". Except, he does ALL of those things: he feeds the children, gives them medicine (the herbs) and consoles them that he won't die. Cale is an absolute hypocrite... and I love it, haha!

...I'm giving him 2 more chapters before he's adopting those kids ❤️

Cale keeps feeding the tree, which keeps asking for more. He notices how the darkness in the hole is getting lighter, so he considers the money he's been using to be paying off. He looks around and the children are gone, thinking that "he feels better now that he doesn't see the injured one" (sir, then why were you looking for them in the first place?? LOL). A moment later, a pair of familiar kittens approach him.

I'm sorry, I know the kittens being the kids is extremely obvious, considering their perfectly matching hair and eye colors, especially with how they appear right there the moment the children have disappeared... however, I do have to confess: when I first read it, I haven't figure it out by this point. So does that count as a spoiler...? Nah. Even though I'm silly, I have more faith in you guys. So yeah, the children reappear as kittens again; a pair of very adorable kittens. I adore them.

Cale recognizes them as the cats from yesterday (when he met Choi Han for the first time) and thinks how they shouldn't remember him. I love how Cale's constantly assuming that he's not memorable. Honey, you are one of the most memorable people in the world, no matter what you're doing... 😂 Just accept it already!

"Let's not get involved in troublesome affairs" – says the protagonist of an isekai manhwa. Sure thing, Cale... 🤣

Then Cale is back at the Henituse estate, asking the Count to repeat himself. Deruth tells him to go to the capital as the family representative, much to Cale's displeasure. Apparently, Basen was originally supposed to go. However, Cale is the first born of the family. There will be a royal event where sons of noble families have been invited. Basen has been acting as a successor since 2 years, but he hasn't been to a royal event. Deruth wants Cale to go instead, even though he doesn't specify the exact reason.

(It's just my theory, but I think Deruth is trying to mend bonds between them as a father, despite the distance developed between them over the years... perhaps seeing Cale smile brought him some hope again?)

Cale realizes the event Deruth is talking about is where the "Plaza Terror Incident" from TBOAH will soon take place. The same secret organization which destroyed Choi Han's village will commit a terrorist attack. Choi Han would be only able to stop about half of it, saving countless citizens gathered there. As a result, the Crown Prince would take notice of him and befriend him, turning him into a public hero figure.

Cale is getting chills at the thought of being there for the Incident. He doesn't want to go. However, looking at Basen, he can't bring himself to tell him to go instead. (Awww, Cale... you're such a good guy! ❤️) When he hears how he's supposed to depart in 5 days, he realizes there is no way OG Cale would have gone in TBOAH, since he got beat up by Choi Han and would be still recovering at that time.

Seeing this clear divergence from the story he read in TBOAH, Cale asks for time to think about it. Deruth agrees, but before he can leave, Basen speaks to him how "there is no reason for him not to go". Despite his rather distant-looking expression, we can tell that Basen is hiding his emotions, refusing to look at Cale. It's interesting how Basen is portrayed here, since I imagined this scene would picture him more shy-looking. But perhaps that IS what his shy expression looks like...? Either way, Cale sighs, and considers the situation between them.

Cale is about to be pushed out of the successor position. However, Basen doesn't seem to mind him acting as a family representative; in fact, he seems supportive. Clearly, he's a good kid with a kind heart. Cale thinks how this is "getting really troublesome" and decides it's worth a shot to go and try preventing the Terror Incident. He excuses it to himself that "he can't let Basen die because then he won't be able to become the Lord of the Territory", but considering how hesitant he was moments before about going, his true feelings about this are rather obvious.

So, "for the sake of his own peaceful life" (aka. because he's a good person who won't endanger an innocent kid – not that he'd ever admit it to himself), Cale makes up his mind. He will go to the capital. But he will do everything he can to make himself comfortable and safe. He tells Hans bring in Choi Han, and tell him that an oppurtunity for payment has come up. He's planning on using Choi Han to his own benefit – despite claiming a mere chapter ago that no sane person would do such a thing.

Haha, ah, Cale, you ridiculous potato... 😂

And that's the whole chapter! No awkward shots in this one! I'm impressed. The plot is finally unfolding: Cale has changed his first meeting with Choi Han and thus, the story is slowly but surely changing its course. Will Cale be able to achieve his dream of a peaceful life? We shall see!

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[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 6

Trash of the Count’s Family Manhwa: Chapter 6

We start right from where we last left off: Count Deruth's thinking face. He reflects on how Cale feels different now. He's not acting smarter or stronger – not from what he can see at least – but his actions has clearly changed from before. Interesting detail: we can see the contrast between OG Cale and Kim Rok Soo-Cale in two images, where OG Cale seems to be next close to Deruth while KRS-Cale sits at the other end of the table – giving some credibility to the theory from chapter 1, that OG Cale usually sat closer to the family than KRS-Cale does.

Deruth doesn't draw any conclusions about this change, however. It seems that even though Cale's actions has brought some attention, his family isn't suspicious about his identity just yet. Instead, he asks for information on Billos, the illegitimate son of the Flynn family. The Count thinks of how Cale isn't the only change around, and how the atmosphere around the continent is getting dangerous. Then he explains to us the Henituse family motto:

"There is no need to be recorded in history. Just live for peace and happiness."

We are shown a quite adorable image of Deruth taking to a young Cale and tiny Basen about it. (Deruth has a "no-eyes" shot, but it's a flashback, so I'm mostly giving it a pass: 1/5 awkwardness rating.) The Count then decides to reinforce the city walls.

My impression from this scene is that despite not being perfect as a father – too indulgent of his son's "trashy" behavior – Deruth Henituse is actually a very decent man, who deeply cares for his family and his territory, much more than he cares for his wealth. In other words: I like this character. The family motto is very wise, too, and quite surprising for such a rich family. But perhaps that is the whole point; that they managed to get this rich because they've followed such a steadfast philosophy for generations.

You might notice how the Henituse motto reflects Cale's desire for a peaceful life, making it clear how well he fits with this family despite actually being a transmigrator.

Next we get back to Cale, who inwardly complains how he doesn't feel very good: and Ron bringing him lemonade again is only making it worse (the poor man, lol). Cale then notices a bandage around Ron's neck. Ron asks if he's worrying about him, and Cale denies it, stating that it's just disturbing to look at. The funny thing is, he's probably telling the truth: not because he doesn't care about Ron, but because he considers him so scary that he doubts anything could actually kill him.

Ron casually says it's nothing, which is contradicted by the flashback of him and Beacrox attacking Choi Han, and claims he was just "scratched by a cat's claw". Cale wonders if the "cat" actually means some innocent person – which is fair, since Choi Han is the innocent person in question (even if he does have blood on his hands already).

Cale's "one-eye" shot seems alright, so I'm passing it without a rating as I barely noticed it... but the second image after it does have two "no-eyes" characters, both Ron and Cale... ehhh, that looks pretty awkward I'm not gonna lie: 3/5.

Ron asks about Cale heading out. Cale confirms it (a very nice-looking image of Cale's hand: I really like the details of it. The artist is really good at drawing hands!), and Ron asks him what did he think about the lemonade. Cale, confused by the question, lies that it was delicious and opens the door... only to see Choi Han standing right on the other side. Cale immediately shuts the door in shock.

There's a funny chibi image of the two as Ron explains to Cale how "he didn't have the chance to tell him" about Choi Han waiting there for him. Cale is disgruntled, as he knows Ron absolutely did it on purpose, and calls him "a nasty man" in his mind. Thus, we establish how Ron might be a good servant and a very competent butler, but he is absolutely a troll 🤣

Cale sighs and opens the door again, asking the very serious-looking Choi Han what's the matter. First hesitant, then sincere, Choi Han responds that he wants to pay Cale back for the meal. Cale nonchalantly dismisses it, asking whether he needs anything else – however in his thoughts, he's quite disturbed by the suggestion that he could use Choi Han for his own benefit.

While that comes off as Cale disliking using a good person like that in the Manhwa, in the novel it's actually much funnier. The wording he uses there is something more like: "What kind of sane person would use Choi Han for manual labor", implying that the mere thought of employing such a loose cannon frightens him. It isn't about Cale being selfless; it's about him absolutely freaking out at the image of hiring the Protagonist(TM). Which makes it twice as funny, if you have any suspicions yet on how the story is actually going to progress 😂

Then Choi Han speaks up about having a request for help. Cale sighs again, knowing that Choi Han is going to ask about something to do with Harris Village. While sympathetic towards his plight, Cale doesn't want to personally get involved in any of this. So he tells him to tell his request to Hans, who is a "talented deputy butler". He also praises Ron and orders him to help Choi Han to the best of his abilities.

Cale, I know you're just trying to sell Ron as a good party member over here... But for someone who's supposed to act like "trash" you're awfully nice about everyone, you know??

In the next picture, Choi Han seems rather confused (or maybe he just doesn't like the idea of asking Ron for help, haha). Then he says to Cale "...But you don't even know who I am". While unbeknownst to Choi Han that's actually untrue, Cale's response is surprisingly sincere:

"Why do I need to know who you are? Do I need a reason to help out someone who is less privileged than me?"

I gotta say, that line really touched me. Especially because Cale truly means it, as we find out throughout the story. While he often justifies his actions to himself as "self-serving", Cale doesn't actually need to help Choi Han to make the plot progress. Quite the opposite, really: he's trying to get rid of him as fast as possible. Dismissing his request would be actually more beneficial to him. But he still does help him out. You can't fool me, you little tsundere you: you already care about this dangerous protagonist whether you like it or not, Mister!

Choi Han seems touched as well, although it's pretty subtle. I really like that expression. It really is masterfully drawn, you can interpret it in SO many ways. I love it.

Cale starts leaving thinking about how he'll need to get more allowance today, since he'll be spending lots of money. Rons says that he will follow his command, and Cale reflects how going through hardships together will form bonds between them as companions (Cale, I cannot express how off you are with that train of thought right now, lol...).

Both Ron and Choi Han stare after him (Choi Han has a pretty close-to-camera "no-eye" shot – so many in this chapter! – but with his fringe it looks tolerable... 2/5), and Ron reflects on how "that fearless puppy" doesn't like sour things but drank the lemonade anyway, concluding that Cale is afraid. He starts to wonder if he "knows something", probably referring to his secret assassin identity.

Choi Han speaks up to Ron and tells him to lead the way (rather rudely, but in the English version it's harder to tell, as Korean has different formal and informal ways to address people). Ron thinks how Choi Han "pretends to be clean, but keeps releasing the scent of blood". I am not 100% sure what it means in a fantasy setting – is Ron talking about something like danger/bloodlust, or can he literally tell that Choi Han had killed people through some supernatural means?? Anyway, he considers him "quite the twisted punk". Choi Han is looking at Ron suspiciously (another very nice image; once again, Choi Han's expressions are amazingly drawn by the artist, I am honestly in awe), but when Ron tells him to follow him, he does. However, not before sending one last glance at Cale walking away.

You might want to avoid getting involved with the protagonist, Cale, but I'm sorry to tell you... you're too late. Clearly, you've already caught his attention. Good luck with that, you unlucky bastard! 😂

And thus, Cale and the two fighters walk in the opposite directions (with a VERY weird-looking shot of "no-eyes" Ron: seriously awkward! 4/5!!), ending the chapters.

As you can probably tell, what I enjoyed most in this chapter was Choi Han's expressions. They were really, REALLY good. I love this art-style, despite its flaws. A very enjoyable chapter overall!

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[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 3

Trash of the Count's Family Manhwa: Chapter 3

We start off with a baker freaking out at Cale's presence, once again reminding the audience of our protagonist's current reputation. Cale stoically thinks he's not even surprised anymore. Then he orders bread; all of the bread, much to the baker's confusion. He gives him a gold coin and casually says he can go somewhere else, demonstrating his character as someone shrewd and very to-the-point. The baker complies as fast as possible.

Now equipped with a bag full of bread, Cale walks down the streets thinking how different a fantasy world is to his old reality. Meanwhile, people are staring at him and Cale thinks he really must have been a trashy character for all of them to look at him like that. (Interesting detail: Cale gradually stops separating himself from the character of OG Cale, even though he's completely aware that they're two different people... and that Kim Rok Soo never did anything to deserve a bad reputation in this world.) He wants to leave the area as fast as possible. (Another shot of his shoes and – I can't be the only one who thinks they're drawn great, right???) Among the bypassers there is a couple of homeless children, with red and silver hair and yellow (maybe golden?) eyes.

Cale arrives at a grassy hill separated from city buildings by a short distance. On the top there is a stone wall surrounding a tree. Cale stops and puts the bag down, wiping off some sweat. It implies to the audience that he's either lazy or weak (or both, haha!) – as carrying only a bag of bread to a small hill not too far away probably shouldn't make a person tired. He claims right away that he's come a long way and that the bag is heavy, but... As I already pointed out, Cale seems quite unreliable as a narrator, sooo... Press X to Doubt 😂

Cale passes a very old wooden door and approaches the tree in the middle, which according to Cale looks hundreds of years old (nice shadows in that image! And Cale's outfit looks great).

Now, I don't want to be nitpicking too much, but I promied myself to be honest; no matter how much I love this series. That tree does NOT look that old. If anything, it looks like the 20-year-old tree growing in my backyard. Furthermore, it doesn't look anything like its description in the book. That's the most ordinarily-looking tree I've ever seen. I understand the author's mistake if the person was reading and drawing side-by-side without checking out the content ahead (not even a couple chapters, at least??), but there's an important detail missing which becomes quite relevant later on: the tree is supposed to be black and ominous-looking. Anyone aware of basic fantasy symbolism should know things like that are rarely without a reason. (Also, the entire fence was supposed to be rotting and made of wood, but that's less important, as it's never mentioned again.) Still, the author probably should have been aware of this, as what happens next is the detailed exposition of what this tree is, and why Cale found it in the first place.

The children from earlier show up and warn Cale not to approach, as it is "a man-eating tree". (The author tries to make the tree seem more ominous during the exposition, using a red background and the negative effect, buuut... It would have been more effective if you just made it black, you know!!) Those who hang themselves on the tree (I'm still curious, why would anyone do that? To make their suicide special or something??) become mummies overnight. However, the manhwa doesn't mention the other two characteristics which made this tree such a bad omen: one, any blood which lands on the tree disappears, and two, nothing grows around it, not even weeds. These things make it sound way creepier, in my opinion.

Cale smirks and confirms that this is exactly the tree he's been looking for.

Next we get a backstory of a Priestess who got kicked out of her temple for her gluttony, and after her death this tree grew on the top of her body. Both her grudges and powers now reside in the tree. Cale tells us that the Ancient Power is called "the Indestructible Shield". We are shown the faint image of the silver shield with wings once again.

Cale starts throwing bread into a dark hole near the roots of the tree. However, the children keep calling out to him not to get close or he'll die. Cale, annoyed by them, throws them two paper bags with bread inside and tells them to get lost. It's the first instance where we see the glimpse of his true personality: irritable, but kind nevertheless. (Tsundere alert, anyone...? 😏)

One of the children collects the food eagerly, but the other stills tries to warn him. Cale reminds them of his reputation of trash. The children decide to leave, but the silver-haired girl still whispers to him not to die as she walks away (what a good child... 🥺).

Cale makes a "tsks" sound to himself and continues to feed the tree. The bread disappears the moment in enters the hole, which Cale considers freaky. (There's a slightly awkward "one-eye" shot with Cale holding a loaf of bread, but it's not that terrible. 1/5 awkwardness rating.) Still, he considers "these kinds of savage and primitive existences" more trustworthy than other sources of power available to him. (It's skipped here, but in the novel we learned that those other sources would be divine or demonic, and Cale has no intention in getting involved with such things. Ownerless powers of purely human origin are much more attractive to him.)

Cale remembers from the novel that he needs to feed the hole until the darkness – representing the dead Priestess'es grudge – disappears. Once it's gone, the shield will become his. Cale throws the rest of the bread into the hole all at once, and the chapter ends.

While you can tell I had problems with this chapter – mostly about missing details which I consider important... I still enjoyed it a lot. Especially the appearance of certain cute little childen, whom as we will discover shall play a big role in the story.

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[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 4

Trash of the Count’s Family Manhwa: Chapter 4

We start off with a shot of the dark hole at the bottom of the "man-eating tree". Cale remarks that he'll probably need another 10 bags of bread. He's startled by a sudden sound coming from the tree and thinks that it's a bit scary. (I don't want to keep complaining about this, but seriously – it would have been more effective if the tree itself looked scary, you know!!) He decides to come back the next day.

Next, we see the adorable silver and red haired siblings happily munching on the bread Cale has given them. Cale starts thinking that it would be bad if the children went to the tree and stuck their hands down the hole for bread. He makes an excuse that he's concerned for himself, of course, but I think most of us doesn't buy that at all by this point. It's obvious he's just concerned for the kids and doesn't want them to get hurt. He tells them that if they want to get more bread tomorrow, they should stay quiet about this. Since he doesn't actually have a single thought about them spilling secrets, clearly he's lying. He's going to feed the kids to help them and keep them safe – not actually to keep them quiet. Siiiiigh, Cale you little tsundere, you...

He see him back at "the Fragrance of Tea with Poetry" place (I guess it's a book club of sorts? A library? Combined with a tea shop, maybe? I am not completely sure, to be honest...) speaking with Billos as he's heading out. (We get a "no-eyes" shot from Billos but it's not very terrible-looking as he's standing far away – let's give it a 1/5 awkwardness rating.) The image where Cale walks down the stairs looks frankly fabulous, and I adore how much detail was given to Cale's outfit. The author must really enjoy dressing him up, haha!

Cale compliments Billos' tea and says that the book was interesting. He casually comments that he liked how the main character's abilities are recognized as he grows (foreshadowing, anyone?? 🤔), and I get a feeling that Cale said that to Billos – the unappreciated bastard son of a powerful family – on purpose, setting up a tone for their interactions in the future. Cale asks Billos to reserve that book for him to read whenever he comes by, implying he will be visiting more often. Billos eagerly agrees. Cale says nonchalantly "sure, whatever" and leaves, like the true tsundere that he is.

I like how Billos is drawn. Although he's not ugly – he's kinda cute, even – you can tell why Cale compared him to a piggy bank. I really like his design.

Slightly later, Cale arrives at a bar. The owner greets him in an exaggerated manner, making it obvious to Cale that he's terrified. Apparently OG Cale had a habit of breaking things whenever he drank, as shown by the image of a broken bottle. Cale throws him a golden coin, asking for a bottle of "his usual" – smart move, as he doesn't know what exactly OG Cale usually drank. He also orders some roasted chicken, but tells him not to salt it.

Interesting detail on the part of the author of the novel: salt is actually harmful to cats, especially in large doses. We have no idea whether that applies in a fantasy setting. However, the fact that Cale/Kim Rok Soo remembers it and asks for no salt just in case speaks volumes of his attentiveness and care, as he's planning to feed the chicken to some cats and doesn't want to harm them by doing so. He is such a caring guy, he really has no idea ❤️

The owner asks Cale if he wants a seat. Cale doesn't respond. The owner anxiously hurries to fulfill Cale's order, and we're shown that other people in the bar are nervous as well – even some really buff guy!! OG Cale's reputation really is no joke! Cale notices how the gangsters and scammers are all avoiding his gaze, and starts thinking about OG Cale once more.

Usually, a "wealthy trash" such as OG Cale would have gotten along with such types of people. However, OG Cale was not one of them: in fact, he despised them and beat them up. The more we learn about OG Cale, the more suspicious his behaviour seems.

Cale takes his order and leaves, while everybody stares after him, as the bottle he bought is likely to be the most expensive alcohol in the shop. Cale drinks some as he walks down the street and can feel it warming him up. It isn't explained here, but in the novel we told that Cale's body has a high alcohol tolerance and only flushes easily due to his pale skin, making people believe that he's a lightweight. Which only serves to make all of OG Cale's wild drunk antics more suspicious.

Cale searches for something near the city gate. He comes across two kittens: smaller red one and bigger silver one. Thus, he knows that he found the scene described in "the Birth of a Hero", where Choi Han was said to twist his ankle while avoiding landing on one of the kittens. Cale comments how this is a world where coincidences play a big role, kind of breaking the 4th wall by telling the audience the same: pay attention to everything, as every detail WILL be important later on. Then he sees Choi Han, sitting nearby, leaning on the wall.

Choi Han's position looks suitably gloomy and dramatic, I'm not gonna lie; a fitting introduction for the "original" protagonist of the story. Cale sees his dark gaze and gets nervous. He's glad he drunk some alcohol before to calm his nerves. He really wants to make a good first impression on the OP protag who might beat him up. (Haha, Cale you cutie, why are you so adorable??) To do so, he feeds the young kittens with chicken, knowing about Choi Han's compassion towards small, harmless creatures. The silver kitten hisses at him, mistrustful. Cale pets it and tells it to eat to get better.

Acting casual, Cale adresses Choi Han, asking him if he's got anywhere to stay at, and if he's hungry. The scene is a bit shortened in the manhwa, as in the novel Choi Han also shows distrust at first, just like the kittens (making it clear that Choi Han at this point is in a similar position as the homeless kittens, the poor guy...). Here, we skip right to Cale walking over and saying his famous line: "Hey. Follow me. I'll feed you." As according to Cale, the best first impressions are made by providing delicious food. (As a food lover, I completely agree; food-included introductions are the best.)

The two shots of Cale and Choi Han at the end look very nice and dramatic, with the full moon in the background and sparks flying in the air – and NO, this is not BL thank you, I checked, yes I checked, for goodness' sake! There's no romance in this story, I SwEaR! 😂😂😂 Get your mind out of the gutter! Why can't we have a nice-looking bromance moment? This scene is basically Cale adopting 3 cats instead of 2. Or, more accurately, 2 cats and 1 puppy. Sorry, is that considered a spoiler? ...Eh, I don't care. We're introduced to my 4th favorite character, folks! Cale is the 1st, obviously. The other 2 are yet to be introduced.

So that is the end of the chapter, and oh boy, this one was great! Choi Han is here, folks, it's time for the story to truly begin! I surely am excited. This chapter was awesome to read.

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[blueteller]

“Trash of the Count’s Family” Review Series: Chapter 2

Trash of the Count's Family Manhwa: Chapter 2

We start off with a couple of shots with a carriage driving through the city and – wait, are those horse tails CGI?? That looks... kinda awkward. First awkwardness rating, everyone! I'm giving that image a 2/5, haha!

Next we see our MC exiting the carriage. Nice face, man. Look at those eyes. It looks awesome, in my opinion. Cale enters a place called "The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry" and dismisses his (unnamed) servant, who looks shocked. Cale says he'll be staying there for a while.

Inside we see some customers chatting cheerfully. The moment Cale enters, however, the atmosphere changes. He ignores them, focusing on a pudgy man blond man. Cale informs us that he's the owner, who greets him with a pleasant smile. Cale introduces him to us a "wealthy bastard" named Billos.

Cale thinks to himself that Billos looks like a Piggy Bank. Haha, Cale, you're so cute. (BTW, in that image Billos' closed eyes are drawn properly, even though the author often skips that in such distance-shots later on. I just decided to mention it out of appreciation. Gotta enjoy the good things while they last, lol)

Cale puts several golden coins on the table (that's A LOT as we soon find out. Cale really enjoys throwing money around!) and says that he wants to stay on the third floor all day, ordering tea (specifically not bitter – Cale, why are you so cute?? 😂) and asking for a novel to read (makes sense, since we know he's a novel reader from the fact that he fell asleep reading "The Birth of a Hero"). Billos accepts theses requests, although he blushes as says that it's too much. Cale makes a VERY smug face and says that he has lots of money.

Kim Rok Soo's really enjoying his new role as a spoiled rich boy, it seems!

Cale sits near a window, looking out. We see he has a clear view of the city's entrance, and Cale tells us Choi Has is going to get chased away from the gate because of his lack of identification. Even without reading the book, it's starting to become clear to the audience that Cale remembers the contents of "The Birth of a Hero" extremely well.

Cale continues to tell us how Choi Han buried the dead villagers first instead of seeking information about the assassins. Thus, Cale considers him to be a very caring person. Then Cale proceeds to remember more details about the meeting between Choi Han and OG Cale.

OG Cale questioned Choi Han why should the Count care about some "usueless villagers" who died. Then he proclaimed the cup of alcohol in his hand to be more valueable than any of their lives. Choi Han darkly responded "Interesting..." and said he was curious whether he would change his mind or not, and asked if they should test it out. Then he proceeded to beat him up. The image of Choi Han grabbing OG Cale honestly looks really cool, very detailed and dynamic.

We switch back to Cale, who's nervously sweating while remembering that part of the novel. He starts to get chills and decides to stop thinking about it. Then he notices Choi Han in front of the gate, talking to the guards. Cale has a soft, compassionate – at least in my interpretation – look on his face as Choi Han is denied access. We can tell that despite Cale fearing Choi Han, he still cares for the original protagonist, and thinks of him as a good person who doesn't deserve the suffering he's going through.

Cale predicts how Choi Han is going to wait until nightfall, to secretly jump over the wall into the city. That would be when he would have met drunk OG Cale in the novel.

Cale leaves the empty cup behind and there's a shot of him walking, I gotta say I'm enjoying these walking images a lot for some reason; the way the author draws shoes and leg movement is just so pleasing to the eye.

Anyway, Cale tells Billos he would be back soon and not to clear his spot. After the door closes behind him, everybody in the place is shocked how he left without breaking anything. Cale deadpans as he could clearly hear them behind him. This scene is so funny.

Cale walks away while making plans for the future. In order to survive the upcoming wars on the continent, he needs to get stronger. But he doesn't want to get too strong, because that would become troublesome. Finally, we are given exposition on how he intends to do so.

We are shown an image of a silver shield with a pair of white wings, and Cale explains that he wants to gain Ancient Powers. The first on his list is a shield to protect himself – which is similar to a mage's mana shield. The distinction makes it clear to the audience that Ancient Powers and Magic are two different things, even though they appear similar.

Next we see the image of a very tasty-looking, steaming croissant. Cale looks at a bread display, and we finish off with his proclamation that today, he would be preparing to obtain the "Indestructible Shield". End chapter.

Honestly, this chapter feels very short, but that's probably because I was enjoying it so much. As you can probably tell, I really liked the art in this one. There was only one image which I noticed looked awkward, but it wasn't anything important. Cale continues to look amazing, and he's the main focus, so it's all good.

Very nice chapter.

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[blueteller]

"Trash of the Count's Family" Review Series: Chapter 1

Trash of the Count's Family Manhwa: Chapter 1

Regarding spoilers: I am writing my reviews from the perspective of someone who knows the whole story of TCF Part 1. However, I will try my best to avoid giving away future twists and plot points, and will only allude to things being hidden or explored later on. I hope that is okay with everyone.

We start with the image of burning candles on a golden chandelier – once again reminding the audience that this family is loaded.

Someone calls out for Cale, and I noticed that the order of events is switched here from the webnovel. There Cale is woken up by Ron, and becomes aware of his transmigration right in front of him, calling out "Cale Henituse?" in confusion, making Ron think he is drunk. I admit the manhwa handled it with a bit more grace, making the scene flow more naturally by having Ron arrive while Cale is in the bathroom. It's always a bit awkward when a transmigrator obviously acts out-of-character and yet the people closest to them don't seem to realize it.

Speaking of awkward: I decided to make an awkward-meter. From now on, I'll be ranking awkwardness on the scale of 1-5. 1 is barely noticeable, 5 is extremely obvious. It's mostly for all the upcoming "no-eyes" or "one-eye" shots. And trust me: there will be A LOT of them.

There are a couple of images where Cale is wet from the bath – yes, fanservice once again – but I'd like to focus on how well the water drops and puddles are drawn. The water isn't colored blue, so there will be moments in the future when it'll be difficult for the author to make it visible when someone gets drenched. However, it still looks quite realistic. Well done.

Next we see Ron Molan for the first time. I've seen some fanart drawing him with a mustache, which made me wonder if he was ever described with it in the novel. However, I never found any evidence of it. Thus, it makes sense that Ron doesn't have a mustache or a beard, even though those are considered quite "butler-y" to have.

While Ron's smile is perfectly polite, the artist somehow managed to convey a sense of danger and slyness in it: I'm truly impressed. On the surface he might seem like a nice old man, but as Cale explains to us, Ron is a skilled assassin with a merciless nature.

Cale acts nonchalant while making plans to send this dangerous man off with the protagonist of "The Birth of a Hero", Choi Han. Ron gives him a sideways look which simply screams "Danger!!!", so Cale is understandably anxious.

Another servant comes in (is it Hans? It seems like Hans... But I'm not 100% sure, since he wears a different uniform later on) and Cale is dressed up for the day. Due to his request of something simple to wear, Cale gets a white shirt with a frill. Cale admires himself and decides that the body he's in can make any clothes look attractive, and let's be honest here – he is 100% correct. Cale Henituse is a looker.

Cale passes a number of servants on his way (once again emphasizing how freaking rich this family is) and – oh look, it's those lamps on the left! The lamp which Choi Han used to beat up OG Cale in the last chapter! Haha, I guess those things are popular. I dub thee the Lamp of Enlightment, lol!

A servant nervously stutters when greeting Cale and he's displeased with the realization that she's scared of him (btw, the disgusted face he makes honestly looks hilarious). Cale contemplates OG Cale's character once again, noting that he wasn't known for hitting servants: he was trash because he liked to drink and play. While it all sounds very simple and straight-forward, for the first time the audience gets the sense that there is something more going on with OG Cale's reputation. Why is he regarded as such a scary individual if he didn't hit his servants? An element of mystery behind Cale's predecessor slowly enters the scene.

Cale decides it's for the better if other people leave him alone. He enters the dining room where his family is waiting for him.

I once read an interesting post on twitter regarding the meaning behind the sitting places in this image. While I think it might have been unintentional on the artist's part, it's still something neat to talk about. The table has 10 places ready (for some reason...? I don't get why there would be set dishes for empy seats. Maybe it's supposed to be a Rich People Thing), with Count Deruth sitting at the opposite end on the table. His wife, Violan, Cale's step-mother, sits on Deruth's right, while Cale's younger siblings – Basen and Lily – sit on his left. However, there is an empty space between Deruth and Violan, implying that it was left for Cale. Whether OG Cale usually took that spot or not is unknown, but if one were to read deeper into this, we could conclude that it symbolizes Cale's status in the family as Deruth's rightful heir... which directly contradicts the information Cale provides us in his next inner monologue.

Cale tells us that his step-mother and siblings avoid him and apparently find him difficult to handle, judging by their scrutinizing stares. Of course, there's the possibility of Cale being an unreliable narrator here and sees only what he wishes to see. He expresses that it's the perfect environment for him to live alone quietly; however, he doesn't consider the very likely possibility that they're only looking at him like that because he's acting WEIRD. Being literally a stranger to them all, Cale takes a seat at the end of the table, far away from everyone else. If OG Cale usually sat between Deruth and Violan, then no wonder they would take notice.

And now, finally what I've been waiting for: let the Misunderstandings(TM) begin!

Cale eats some sausage and smiles thinking how juicy it is. That by itself is apparently quite unusual, as Basen looks completely shocked at seeing Cale smile. Cale remains oblivious to it.

The Count hesitantly adresses Cale, who comments that the food is delicious. Cale's father is shocked by this, as he had been expecting Cale to say that it tastes like trash. Despite his confusion, Deruth nervously expresses joy that his son is enjoying the meal. Cale casually returns the sentiment, much to the consternation of everyone else. Cale is unaware of the atmosphere and thinks how nice it is to be trash as no one is criticizing his manners.

Cale has no intention to be the Count's heir, as it would be a complicated life which would take a lot of work. He'd rather peacefully laze around as the Count's older brother. Meanwhile Basen is nervously looking at him, and has no idea that Cale is currently plotting on shifting the Lord of Territory position onto him. Cale thinks it's a forgone conclusion, since his character is "trash". But things with this family do not appear so simple from an outsider's perspective.

Cale, you oblivious potato... you should learn to read the room!

Anyway, Cale finishes his meal and Deruth asks if there's anything he wants. Cale thinks for a short moment before asking for ✨money✨. We learn that Cale very much likes money. Deruth agrees as Cale's siblings watch Cale with confusion in the background. They look so cute.

Cale's "innocent" smile switches to the image of Cale being completely shocked at the amount of money he recieved from the Count. Cale realizes just how unbelievably rich this household is, and starts to reconsider his options.

Cale asks Ron about the date, and Ron informs him that it's the 29th of the third month in the 781st year of the Felix Calendar. Basically – it's March 29th, 781. Cale realizes he has to hurry, as Choi Han will soon arrive in the city.

And that's the end of the chapter! It was very nice, I liked it even more than the last one. The art style is gorgeous, and the comedy comes across very well. There were no particularly awkward shots in this chapter, and every person's clothing style was different and unique, even the servants. It was very well done. Loved it!

Feel free to leave comments!

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#tcf #trash of the count's family #lcf #lout of the count’s family #tcf manhwa #review #manhwa review #tcf manhwa review series #tcf manhwa chapter 1