Ok, sorry it took a bit got get to this. So, I don't think just because Esdeath is the main antagonist that she gets a free pass from comparisons. I mean, look at the difference between Esdeath anime vs Esdeath manga. The anime Esdeath seems WAY less powerful than the manga version, yet people still LOVE the anime versoin of her and find her really powerful. So with that in mind, doesn't the manga version seem OP? If you compare Mine/Pumpkin to either Esdeath, there is really no comparison, right? Esdeath > Mine/Pumpkin. (Sorry, I have been drinking a little, so I am not sure my point was clear, I think she should still count. To try to make her immune seems to me like a cop out)
Your Leone point...So you are saying that because Leone get's her arse handed to her a few time that must mean she is not OP and not a good comparison? If that is the logic, than the same can be applied to Mine/Pumpkin. Mine gets trounced twice by Seryu, not once, but twice. The only reason she wins the second fight is because Seryu went to all out so her and her Teigu got cut in half. I suppose you could complain about the laser because it kinda comes out of nowhere, but is it really that surprising that a magic, spirit energy wielding gun, has both burst and laser fire. Doesn't seem that far fetched to me. (At least no more far fetched that the BS Seryu pulls. " oh look I have guns in my arms, oh look I have a gun in my mouth, oh look my teigu can go berserk, oh look I have a bomb in my head"...)
By the way, Seryu, at least to me, is NOT a strong member of Jager and Mine just barly defeats her.
Another thing, did you notice that Night Raid ALWAYS gives Mine a partner? Why is that? To me, it was because her Teigu was strong but only in certain situations. Get her alone and she is toast. Two examples.
1. The fight after the assassination of the Ministers family. Take Tatsumi away from that scene and despite having Pumpkin, Mine is toast. And that dude was just some random scrub.
2. The fight with Bol and Akame's sister. Tatsumi leaves Mine alone, and she gets taken out by a FROG!!! One big frog. Had it not been for the holes in it's stomach she would have died right there.
IMO these examples show are not OP in any way. Do you think Esdeath or Akame or Leone or any other member of Night Raid would have had issues with the scrub and the frog? I don't think so.
I agree with you on Akame. I really want to like her but I struggle with that for the same reason I struggle with Esdeath...to perfect.
Your last point about Mine killing herself says a bunch...I don't agree at all. All that says to me is that her weapon is balanced and has a trade off for the power boost. In fact, a little too much of a trade off IMO. I mean, think about it. Leone only dies because the Minister destroyed her power, yet you hint that you don't think Leone is OP, but Mine's weapon Kills/ disables her from pulling too much energy and that IS OP? That seems like a bit of a contradiction to me.
It seems to me that it boils down to one thing. I made a rhyme about it.
If your girl is Mine than Pumpkin is fine.
If it's any other ship you're smokin than Pumpkin is broken.
Meh...I'm here all week...lol :)