Jun 18, 2022
Red-Black Course reminded me of the first time I cooked steak—red and undercooked on the top, black and burnt on the bottom.
Okay, but seriously, it's dope. Cool premise, cool setting, cool characters—I really loved stories like this which are localised into entirely one area. While most cyberpunk entries are busy filling out paragraphs of scenery and technology, the events in these 5 chapters alone feel like double compared to a lot of other entries I read.
Case in point—at this stage in the story, Rex has easily developed more than any other character from any other entry (that I can remember). Even Mitch, who first appeared like a typical bully, kinda redeemed himself in my eyes. It's this commitment to character which I feel is kinda lacking in a lot of other entries. Here, Red-Black Course develops in a way that feels naturally paced (not too fast), but is also impactful in what it's done. The "one more page" syndrome in this story is bursting out of the prison that is this website lol.
So yes. While other entries are good in terms of setting, or writing, I can confidently say that Red-Black Course is the gold standard when it comes to characters. Sure, I know almost nothing about Rex, Mitch or Zain, but no other cyberpunk entry has made me this invested in its characters as much as Red-Black Course.
Seriously, Chapter 4: Indomitable Will, has my vote for single best chapter out of any entry. It's the same kind of magic you see when Tanjiro learns how to cut the boulder in Demon Slayer. Is Chapter 4 the most cerebral thing to read? No. Is it the most original or most unique event? No.
But that spirit of being beaten down and getting back up—something which I feel that every single anime fan is familiar with in at least one point in their lives, is absolutely shining in that chapter. The other prisoners betting against Rex to fail, Zain giving his all, Mitch being shocked, and most importantly, Rex going from sad bully victim to the only person that can stand up to Zain—it's stories like this that reminds me why I fell in love with stories in the first place.
To other contestants reading this, remember—at the end of the day, you don't need to be a master of the English language, you just need to engage your readers at an emotional level. There are many ways to do it, but characters overcoming challenges is the simplest, most effective way to do it.
Thank you, Walker, from the bottom of my heart. If there's more moments like Chapter 4 in this story later on, I'd be over the moon. It's inspiring, y'know? For someone like me, who definitely isn't the best at prose or stuff like that, reading an event which feels this raw is something that inspires me to emulate more in my own writing.
If there's just one concern I have, it'd be that the "Cyberpunk-ness" does not feel as clear. Sure, there's VR and talking machines, but I do wish to see more cyberpunk elements, since that is the prompt after all. Regardless, I'm rooting for your entry. If you keep up this level of storytelling throughout Red-Black Course, then I can confidently say that this is a story—prompt-adhering or not—that deserves to be adapted.
