| I dont think ive ever seen flashbacks (as in flashback backstories?) and timeskips called 'lazy writing', or a variation of that.. 1. For flashbacks, what better way there is to show the character's background? :V I'd even say backstory episodes tend to be really memorable I particularly liked the ones at the start of Nana, where they show both Nana's backstories, but I don't think i can recall a specific one i disliked.. maybe some really shallow "x had a tragic backstory" explained in 5 minutes from some shitty unmemorable show or w/e. But timeskips, they're pretty rare.. Shin Sekai Yori did those really well; growing up with the characters'n shit. The only timeskip in particular i can call lazy is the Nagi no Asukara one where they kept the character designs for those 3 guys in hibernation, as if the character designer ragequitted after making adult Chisaki&Tsumugu and they had to write the story around that. 2. Action genre with "Good guys always win" and multiple genres, but in particular Adventure, with "Generic, forgettable, and inconsequential episodic stories".. 3. Solution for Good guys always win -> make it not about good guy vs bad guy Solution for Generic, forgettable, and inconsequential episodic stories -> other than just making them less episodic, the other solution is the omnipresent, overly vague "good writing" |
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| I don't see flashbacks as lazy, but rather condescending if used incorrectly. Lazy writing would be info-dumping, without a more interesting way to give out exposition. Another thing I consider lazy writing is the use of supernatural elements in Sword of the Stranger. They kind of came out nowhere and felt like a very cheap and lazy way of operating the plot. |
| 1) Not if they're done right. I haven't seen that many shows with timeskips to my recollection, but an example of a poorly-done timeskip would be Fairy Tail. It barely led to anything, the only reason for it being for a tournament arc whose ending is predictable from a mile away. 2) Pretty much any anime that presents itself as being 'self-aware'. I'm sure there's good ones out there, but the ones that I've seen just rely on breaking the fourth wall and acknowledging certain plot elements or character types as cliche. For example, say there's a show that uses cliche plot points and character types. In order to present itself as being self-aware, rather than coming up with something new, it points out whenever a cliche story element or character type arises. Yet it still uses them. That's not self-awareness, that's just lazy writing and poor attempts at humor. Also, power of friendship and overpowered characters. 3) As I said, flashbacks and timeskips are fine, as long as they're done correctly. Actually make the timeskip have an effect on the story, rather than only being relevant for one story arc and nothing else. To fix overpowered characters, I would put realistic limits on the characters, have them lose once in a while, try to put more variety in terms of how they defeat their enemies, etc. In terms of 'self-aware' humor, I would simply not use it if I don't plan on subverting or averting the cliche. |
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| 1-No totally not.Flashbacks helps the character development. BUT. Overusing this can bore the audience and now you can call this bad writing.For timeskip I think every anime have one chance using this.After a major event in anime skipping some parts can help the world development but like flashbacks overusing is bad. 2-Not explaining everything or saying "well it happened because I can" as a writer.Those two are good example for your question.For genre %90 of ecchi/harem animes.Reason for that they simply don't care.Even audience don't care why they should? 3-I agree what @romagia said in this matter.I will add one point too.If you really want to make a stoary about good and bad guys remember that:Good guys don't have to win. |
TiaDee said: 1) Do you believe that flashbacks and/or timeskips are indeed signs of lazy writing? (If you can please provide examples of anime where they are used the right and wrong way.) Flashbacks and timeskips are perfectly valid writing techniques. They are a lot better than wasting 3 chapters on the backstory until we get to the real good part. Start with the good part (awesome fighters shark-filled tornadoes at each other), and explain what they're fighting for as the story goes. TiaDee said: 2) How does lazy writing manifest in anime? Any other plot devices favourited by lazy writers? Are there anime genres more prone to suffer from lazy writing than others? There is only one type of lazy writing. Not doing the fucking research. Genetics does not determine personality or skills. Ships with solar sails can't circumnavigate a solar system during the summer vacation. Humans aren't perpetual motion engines which can make more energy than you spend feeding them. For everything else, there is genre and focus. TiaDee said: 3) Any solutions to lazy writing? With what would you replace (or how would you change the use of) flashbacks and timeskips (or any other story device you believe to be telling of lazy writing). There is only two solutions. Doing the research, and being actually good at whatever you're writing about. If you feel your work has too many flashbacks, there are other ways to convey the characters' feelings. They can cry out battlecries ("and this is for the little dog you kicked!"), they can encounter reasons to fight in main timeline (the battle happens in the middle of a village the villain just burned down)... and of course, you don't have to reveal everything - many villains get away with "you just don't understand!" until the grand finale. Your story can never have too many timeskips. Just don't skip over potentially cool stuff, that will leave the readers disappointed. |
| The only things I consider lazy writing in anime are: -Open endings, don't just leave the door open, were you authors born in a barn? -Plot holes, loose-ends and other unexplained important plot points -Doing things like bringing back unquestionably dead characters and saying they somehow survived without adequate explanation. -Breaking their own established rules of their universe without a good explanation on why that's possible. |
| "The name's Gambit. Remember it." -Gambit "X-Men '97"  |
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