Moh. Daffa Nugraha, Dina Nurmalisa, Rana Sharjeel Akhtar, Emmanuel Ofori Gyadu

Fantasy Formula in the Story of the Nusantara Webtoon Droid War by Vega Mandalika

Introduction

Fantasy formula in the story of the nusantara webtoon droid war by vega mandalika. Explore the fantasy formula in Vega Mandalika's Webtoon Droid War (NDW). This literary analysis uses Deborah Chester's theory to reveal recurring patterns in story roles, magic, and its unique world.

Abstract

Webtoon NDW is a literary work that presents vertical image panels, making it unique from other scholarly works. As a popular fantasy genre work, researchers suspect that there is a formula in the Webtoon NDW story. This study aims to reveal the fantasy formula in the Webtoon Nusantara Droid War (NDW) story by Vega Mandalika. The type of research is qualitative and uses the theoretical basis of the fantasy formula from Deborah Chester (2016), which consists of three elements: story roles, magic, and a special world. Data were obtained from episodes 1 to 50 of Webtoon NDW through data collection with documentation techniques and literature studies. Then, it was analyzed through data condensation, presentation, and conclusion to find patterns in the research object. The study results show that the Webtoon NDW story has three categories of characters, each with its role. The closer a character is to the minor category, the more limited their appearance will be. The story's characters use spells with different functions, such as turning on droids or summoning magical powers. Webtoon NDW presents a special world with wonders not found in other worlds. These three elements are present repeatedly and consistently in the Webtoon NDW story. Thus, some patterns in the NDW story follow the fantasy formula proposed by Deborah Chester. The study results help develop popular literary theory, especially the fantasy formula in Webtoon, and serve as a reference for similar research in the future. This study requires further research to determine the influence and effectiveness of Webtoon NDW in learning literature in the digital era.

Review

This paper presents an intriguing analysis of the fantasy formula within the Nusantara Webtoon Droid War (NDW) by Vega Mandalika, utilizing Deborah Chester's theoretical framework. The stated aim to reveal the presence of story roles, magic, and a special world in this popular digital literary work is clearly articulated. The abstract suggests a qualitative approach that systematically applies established fantasy theory to a contemporary medium, offering valuable insights into the structural elements that define NDW as a fantasy narrative. Overall, the research appears to make a solid contribution to understanding genre conventions in digital literature, particularly webtoons, which often receive less academic scrutiny than traditional literary forms. The strength of this study lies in its focused application of a specific theoretical model to a clearly defined dataset (episodes 1-50 of Webtoon NDW). By identifying consistent patterns in character roles, the manifestation of magic, and the unique world-building elements, the research effectively demonstrates that NDW adheres to established fantasy formulas. The findings concerning the categorization of characters and their appearance frequency, along with the varied functions of spells and the creation of a distinct world, provide concrete evidence supporting the paper's central hypothesis. This methodical approach is commendable, and the results promise to enrich popular literary theory by extending its application to the burgeoning field of webtoon studies. While the study successfully identifies the fantasy formula in NDW, the abstract could benefit from further elaboration on certain aspects to strengthen its scholarly impact. The initial statement about webtoons' "vertical image panels" being unique from "other scholarly works" is somewhat ambiguous; clarifying this distinction—perhaps in relation to how the *visual storytelling format* specifically interacts with or even modifies the expression of Chester's formula—would be beneficial. Furthermore, while the study confirms the presence of the formula, exploring *why* this formula resonates so strongly with audiences in a digital medium, or how the specific affordances of the webtoon format enhance or constrain the application of these elements, could elevate the discussion beyond mere identification. Finally, the suggestion for future research on the webtoon's influence in "learning literature" feels slightly disconnected from the core findings on formula identification, and a clearer link between the formulaic elements and their potential pedagogical implications would be advantageous.

Full Text

Comments

You need to be logged in to post a comment.