| Why do they resemble actual people much more than other cartoons? Anime characters are always overreacting to literally almost everything. If a girl is not committing physical assault for reasons that could've been avoided if she just talked like a normal person, then she's blushing like a tomato at everything, being hyper over everything, and sounds like she's been on helium too much. If a male character isn't the mc of a harem where he's borderline autistic, then they're constantly yelling, getting excited over everything. And those are just few examples. And I wouldn't have as much of a problem with characters reacting like this, if they looked a lot more unrealistic like these cartoons: Not to mention the fact that Japanese culture is all about being cool and keeping your emotions in check? So then why do Japanese cartoon characters NOT behave like Japanese people, at all? |
| because unlike western cartoon, anime not only exagrated, but also idealized... it no surprise that japan entertainment attract lot of escapist... |
 "If taking responsibility for a mistake that cannot be undone means death, it's not that hard to die. At least, not as hard as to live on." |
damn man. You being real shallow right now. Just looking at surface level details  |
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| I'm definitely no professional on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with the sort of genres and styles Japanese people find entertaining versus those of Americans. In America cartoons are mostly centered towards kids, and the exceptions to this rule often do have more human features (Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, etc.) This is also true for Japanese anime which is tailored more for kids, such as Doraemon for instance. But they take the world of animation much more seriously, for it is also a main source of entertainment for adults there. This might explain both the reasoning for them animating realistic figures instead of sponges living under a sea, as well as defining why exaggerations are used. If an anime was exactly like real life, many people wouldn't watch it...it would be too boring. So dramatizing each character's reactions, personality quirks, and interactions help them to burst off of the screen with life. |
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| I don't ever recall people saying that western cartoons aren't as or more exaggerated. |
I'm a shitposter for fun |
Taraninja16 said: I'm definitely no professional on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with the sort of genres and styles Japanese people find entertaining versus those of Americans. In America cartoons are mostly centered towards kids, and the exceptions to this rule often do have more human features (Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, etc.) This is also true for Japanese anime which is tailored more for kids, such as Doraemon for instance. But they take the world of animation much more seriously, for it is also a main source of entertainment for adults there. This might explain both the reasoning for them animating realistic figures instead of sponges living under a sea, as well as defining why exaggerations are used. If an anime was exactly like real life, many people wouldn't watch it...it would be too boring. So dramatizing each character's reactions, personality quirks, and interactions help them to burst off of the screen with life. I think I'd get what you mean a lot more, if I wasn't talking about anime that are generally aimed towards teens (anime geared towards adults rarely, if ever, have characters overreact). I know people on MAL absolutely LOVE to post under a thread without actually adding anything to the thread, but come on man, I thought you were better than that. -Mahesvara said: Talk about being nitpicky. Its just the Japanese style, they prefer their characters to look more human and realistic, its just more appealing. Cartoons in the West are primarily aimed at children, so they make them look more simple and cartoony, because kids don't care about such complicated things. Kuma said: because unlike western cartoon, anime not only exagrated, but also idealized... it no surprise that japan entertainment attract lot of escapist... I understand that Japanese society pressures its people a lot, but come on, how many people actually fantasize screaming constantly? Especially a culture like Japan? |
| Talk about being nitpicky. Its just the Japanese style, they prefer their characters to look more human and realistic, its just more appealing. Cartoons in the West are primarily aimed at children, so they make them look more simple and cartoony, because kids don't care about such complicated things. Also If you watch liveaction comedies or dramas, the actors overexaggerate emotions too, so its not just a anime thing, its an entertainment thing. |
-MahesvaraFeb 27, 2018 6:56 PM
My Queens  |
NihilisticLoner said: Nih I know people on MAL absolutely LOVE to post under a thread without actually adding anything to the thread, but come on man, I thought you were better than that. like what did you really expect me to add? You're saying you can't really take the over exaggeration seriously because characters look too realistic Its not like I can change your mindset since thats just a response your brain is making for some reason |
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| [quote=NihilisticLoner message=54201861] Taraninja16 said: I'm definitely no professional on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with the sort of genres and styles Japanese people find entertaining versus those of Americans. In America cartoons are mostly centered towards kids, and the exceptions to this rule often do have more human features (Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, etc.) This is also true for Japanese anime which is tailored more for kids, such as Doraemon for instance. But they take the world of animation much more seriously, for it is also a main source of entertainment for adults there. This might explain both the reasoning for them animating realistic figures instead of sponges living under a sea, as well as defining why exaggerations are used. If an anime was exactly like real life, many people wouldn't watch it...it would be too boring. So dramatizing each character's reactions, personality quirks, and interactions help them to burst off of the screen with life. I think I'd get what you mean a lot more, if I wasn't talking about anime that are generally aimed towards teens (anime geared towards adults rarely, if ever, have characters overreact). This is true....anime like Ghost in the Shell and Ergo Proxy are very down-to-earth and realistic in comparison to what you brought up as examples, a.k.a. girls being either really violent or really shy, and guys either being the next Einstein or just screaming their heads off. There probably is a logical reason beyond this, but the only answer I can go to is the fact that they are tropes. Yes, they are ones that have been utilized for years, but they have become so ingrained into the anime culture that producers, and maybe even writers of the shows think that is what their audience wants. So the process of trial-and affect takes priority over better judgement, and they think "Well, if people like Sakura punching Naruto and Light and L being automatic geniuses, we'll just pump out shows with the same exact scenes!" I don't know, that's one of the few logical conclusions I can come up with. I am equally clueless as to why several old men/women sit in a boardroom and decide that "more anime screaming" is absolutely necessary in their show. |
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NihilisticLoner said: Kuma said: because unlike western cartoon, anime not only exagrated, but also idealized... it no surprise that japan entertainment attract lot of escapist... I understand that Japanese society pressures its people a lot, but come on, how many people actually fantasize screaming constantly? Especially a culture like Japan? https://www.balimedicaljournal.org/index.php/bmj/article/download/47/pdf_56 it is no surprise karaoke room is soo popular in japan... |
"If taking responsibility for a mistake that cannot be undone means death, it's not that hard to die. At least, not as hard as to live on." |
| Obviously, self-insertation is a factor. I mean, yeah, the people watching wouldn't act that way IRL, but that's kind of the point. It's less that they really want to act like that character, but they want to be able to act like that character without repercussions. NihilisticLoner said: If a male character isn't the mc of a harem where he's borderline autistic This is a problem inherent with most harems. The main characters have no personality (or brain) because it would ruin the self-insertable nature of it. This is especially if the harem was adapted from a visual novel, where the original MC was both named and controlled by the player. So instead they focus on the actions taken on the MC, rather than the decisions that the MC made. NihilisticLoner said: And I wouldn't have as much of a problem with characters reacting like this, if they looked a lot more unrealistic Holy cow, the size of that second image link The more unrealistic they look, the harder it is to self-insert. NihilisticLoner said: Not to mention the fact that Japanese culture is all about being cool and keeping your emotions in check? So then why do Japanese cartoon characters NOT behave like Japanese people, at all? I think it is, in some part, because Japan is about keeping your emotions in check. I can imagine there are plenty of people who don't want to accept the social world where they have to be poker-faced all the time. @Kuma already brought it up (nice link), but I can imagine the stifling nature of Japanese culture can be suffocating sometimes. So they want to imagine a world in which they can express their emotions freely without consequences. Thus they choose to live through these characters vicariously. Another reason I've thought of is that it's simply more interesting. I mean, yeah, some of those cliche personalities can be super boring, but some characters are different enough that they become that much more memorable. For example, if Midousuji acted like a human, I probably wouldn't have given much of a second thought to him. But he acts more like a lizard (or, at least, something else... not human...), which leaves that much more of an impression, enough so that he's in my favorites. |
OfDeathandLoveFeb 27, 2018 8:28 PM
 now i will tell you what ive done for you fifty thousand tears ive cried maybe ill wake up for once screaming deceiving and bleeding for you and you still wont hear me going under dont want your hand this time ill save myself just when id thought id reached the bottom im dying again |
OfLove111 said: Obviously, self-insertation is a factor. This is a problem inherent with most harems. The main characters have no personality (or brain) because it would ruin the self-insertable nature of it. This is especially if the harem was adapted from a visual novel, where the original MC was both named and controlled by the player. So instead they focus on the actions taken on the MC, rather than the decisions that the MC made. The more unrealistic they look, the harder it is to self-insert. I could open up with some faux-politesse about "So much of your post is reliant on self-insertion being the key aspect to harems blah blah blah" but look man, that'd just be completely glad-handy and fake of me to approach it like it's not something I think is just basic project of intent of consumption with no real way to substantiate it past the feeble justification of a character being powerful or a character not being especially colorful or distinct in personality, or if you want to dig a bit deeper the perspective used in VNs I guess, albeit in adaptation this changes every single time that I know of. If you want to see a real blank slate character then could look towards all the blank faces in hentai, but I digress >_> Where does this idea come from, man? What's causing you to assert it so strongly, as if this is definitely the case and you know it? Like, what is the supporting evidence pretty much? It's always seemed so alien to me, kind of like a "wut" thing and I know for a fact I'm far from alone i regards to this idea. It's always asserted as a means to explain why the MC is so "dull," but I'm more apt to seeing this be denied by other fans if I ever see it mentioned than anything else, to which people treat it like...idk, something more than just something people who typically don't like the genre assume is a drawing point of harems. Feels annoying man, self-insertion is always brought up as the main drawing point more or less, but it's never really solidified past a justification for a indistinct MC. People who typically aren't into these types of shows just sit there tell me and others who like the same type of shows as me why we like harems and how we consume them, and that's all it ever feels there is to it with this self-insertion thing. |
ManabanFeb 27, 2018 9:04 PM
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| Self-inserts don't actually exist in anime tbh, its buzzword made by people who like to rag on characters they don't like, particularly ones who don't have a lot charisma or appear to have generic personalities on the surface. Basically, self-inserting is a myth and trying to rationalize people preferring their characters to look more realistic, so they can self-insert into them is ignorant and ludicrous. |
My Queens |
NihilisticLoner said: I just don't understand why they'd fantasize to that extent. Because a little overreacting is completely different from blowing things out of proportion. The world works in extremes, I guess? NihilisticLoner said: That's what I don't understand: shouldn't the MC having NO sense of agency (unlike actual people) actually ruin the sense of immersion? Why would the average filthy shut in otaku piece of shit like me self-insert more into fucking Ichika from Infinite Stratos (seriously, calling this guy socially dense is an offense to socially dense people), vs Sora from No Game No Life? Because some people are socially dense? Though I'd say this point it's less of a self-insert problem, and more of a poor-writing problem. NihilisticLoner said: However, I've looked at probably every anime from every seasonal chart since 2016, and I don't think I've seen harem anime adapted from visual novels, aside from Rewrite (where the MC does have personality and agency). I wouldn't know, since most of the harems I watch are reverse harems, which are in short supply these days. My guess is that, in creating personality-less MCs from visual novels, it created a culture of personality-less MCs, which current harems followed. NihilisticLoner said: ...That...makes too much sense... Okay, but not all anime characters, are designed to be self-inserts. Aren't the main characters (usually male) designed to be the only self-inserts? Depends on the show. There are plenty of reverse harem-type shows that have female MC self-inserts. But as for non-main characters, I would say that 1. Realism helps the attractiveness of the characters, and 2. It helps maintain consistency. Chances are people are going to be attracted to animation that looks enough like a person that it doesn't break the illusion, but perfected enough that the character doesn't look like an "ugly" IRL person. And because it helps maintain consistency, like I said, which is considered to be a trait of just good shows in general. NihilisticLoner said: They tend to be pretty rare though. AT least, from my experience. Fair. NihilisticLoner said: In other words, it's literally the same shit, how do the Japanese not get tired of it? My guesses are 1. By the time they should get tired of it, they're grown up and watching more realistic shows anyway, and 2. Those who don't move on from those shows are too emotionally, socially, and/or critically dense enough that they don't realize that they should have moved on. @Manaban I mean, if you don't self-insert, it's fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a factor. Why do so many people cosplay with just Kirito's jacket or Eren Yeager's cloak? They want to self-insert themselves into the worlds. Why do so many people want to screw fictional characters? Why do character x reader fanfics (even lemons) exist? Because they want to be in that world where that character exists. If everyone divided things up into "purely fiction" and "purely reality" then these things wouldn't exist. Heck, by nature, to some degree cosplay and harem visual novels themselves prove that there is some nature of self-insertation to a lot of fiction. |
OfDeathandLoveFeb 27, 2018 9:13 PM
now i will tell you what ive done for you fifty thousand tears ive cried maybe ill wake up for once screaming deceiving and bleeding for you and you still wont hear me going under dont want your hand this time ill save myself just when id thought id reached the bottom im dying again |
| @OfLove111 Self-Inserts don't exist, simple as that. |
My Queens |
| @-Mahesvara @Manaban I edited my past message to include my thoughts on proof that self-insertation exists. OfLove111 said: @Manaban I mean, if you don't self-insert, it's fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a factor. Why do so many people cosplay with just Kirito's jacket or Eren Yeager's cloak? They want to self-insert themselves into the worlds. Why do so many people want to screw fictional characters? Why do character x reader fanfics (even lemons) exist? Because they want to be in that world where that character exists. If everyone divided things up into "purely fiction" and "purely reality" then these things wouldn't exist. Heck, by nature, to some degree cosplay and harem visual novels themselves prove that there is some nature of self-insertation to a lot of fiction. |
now i will tell you what ive done for you fifty thousand tears ive cried maybe ill wake up for once screaming deceiving and bleeding for you and you still wont hear me going under dont want your hand this time ill save myself just when id thought id reached the bottom im dying again |
OfLove111 said: @Manaban I mean, if you don't self-insert, it's fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a factor. Why do so many people cosplay with just Kirito's jacket or Eren Yeager's cloak? Cosplay or feeling sexual attraction to an anime character is nothing in the same vein as roleplaying as them as you partake in the product, which is very much what the kind of self-insertion you're describing is. Cosplay isn't necessarily a form of self-insertion unless roleplay goes along with it, at which point it'd be closer to a LARP than a cosplay itself. And wanting to fuck a character is wanting to fuck a character, it's not especially complicated. What you're largely asserting here is that these characters exist, pretty much invariably, to serve as a surrogate for the audience to pretend they're in the position of said character as a sort of roleplay, which I contest on the grounds that I am actually someone in somewhat of a position to where I spend a good amount of time watching over a large portion of the fanbase in question on this site and I am someone who in that position have witnessed little but dissent to the concept of roleplaying as a harem lead as you're watching it. You're not going to convince me by citing people cosplay or want to bang anime characters because neither of those things mix in with what you're describing on a fundamental level - playing dress up is not roleplay in of itself unless playing the part is also involved, and wanting to bang an anime character is barely related to as much. I'm really not asking for your postulation here - I very much have reason to believe that I am not alone in roleplaying as a character in expressing enjoyment in a type of series. I'm asking you for something substantial and not just listing off a bunch of possibly-related-in-some-cases scenarios and asserting to me that this is anything but potentially tied together depending on how the viewer in question approaches it at best. Most of all I'm just pretty tired of it, though, because it always strikes me as accusative and derogatory, especially when you juxtapose it beside things like "Those who don't move on from those shows are too emotionally, socially, and/or critically dense enough that they don't realize that they should have moved on" it comes across as downright insulting and presumptive of my character. If I'm going to be insulted for something, it's sure as fuck going to be something that I can uphold and not just some postulation being formed on what's little more than conjecture and vague connections >_> |
ManabanFeb 27, 2018 9:27 PM
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OfLove111 said: You proved nothing besides that fact that you're naive. Ask any fan the reason why they like any so-called "self-insert" character and i guarantee you they will talk about said character themselves and not self-inserting into them. You look at it from only one perspective, your own, but ignore what the other side thinks, which is arrogant. Also fantasizing about being in another world and self-inserting yourself into a certain character are two different things(escapism=/=self-inserting).@-Mahesvara @Manaban I edited my past message to include my thoughts on proof that self-insertation exists. OfLove111 said: @Manaban I mean, if you don't self-insert, it's fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not a factor. Why do so many people cosplay with just Kirito's jacket or Eren Yeager's cloak? They want to self-insert themselves into the worlds. Why do so many people want to screw fictional characters? Why do character x reader fanfics (even lemons) exist? Because they want to be in that world where that character exists. If everyone divided things up into "purely fiction" and "purely reality" then these things wouldn't exist. Heck, by nature, to some degree cosplay and harem visual novels themselves prove that there is some nature of self-insertation to a lot of fiction. |
My Queens |
NihilisticLoner said: anime geared towards adults rarely, if ever, have characters overreact. I understand that Japanese society pressures its people a lot, but come on, how many people actually fantasize screaming constantly? Especially a culture like Japan? Anime that target adults can have nothing to do with including mature characters or mature contents. A lot of them would prefer watching something more lighthearted as a method relaxation. For example anime like Ramen Daisuki Koizumi San are made exclusively for adults. And it's an anime about girls overreacting when eating ramen for comedic purpose. |
| @-Mahesvara @Manaban I do think I owe you guys an apology. I did say some rude things, though I will say it came from a place of being about as frustrated as @NihilisticLoner is about unrealistic characters. Sorry Nihil, I'm about to put some words in your mouth. Feel free to disagree with what I'm about to say. However, I won't back down that self-insertation exists, mostly from two different adaptation types: adaptations of visual novels, which I've already covered, and adaptations of isekai light novels (in the vein of SAO, Isekai Smartphone, Danmachi, etc.), which I'll explain: When most writers of isekai light novels sit down to write, it feels like they start with the thought "What would be cool to do in a different world?" That's where the self-insertation lies the most: by thinking of what they think would be cool, instead of what would make a well-developed MC or a well-written novel, etc., that's where the problems Nihil and I have lie. But, even so, the amount of these light novels multiply and become popular, because 1. they're easy to write and 2. they're easy to read. It's much easier to write/read something where little goes wrong, and what does go wrong doesn't have lasting consequences, instead of making characters with realistic flaws that have true consequences (because that wouldn't be fun for the self-inserting writer). And thus: Self-insertation-->easy to write-->easy to read-->gets super popular-->gets a lot of anime adaptations, while those who are looking for something deeper like Nihil and I don't get as much of the type of anime we want. Escapism (which is different than self-insertation, I'll admit) is also a factor to this, but I'm not going to go into detail on that. I mean, there are some good isekai light novel adaptations (Hai to Gensou no Grimgar, Log Horizon, and I've heard Overlord is really good), but that's not what I'm trying to address. |
OfDeathandLoveFeb 27, 2018 10:04 PM
now i will tell you what ive done for you fifty thousand tears ive cried maybe ill wake up for once screaming deceiving and bleeding for you and you still wont hear me going under dont want your hand this time ill save myself just when id thought id reached the bottom im dying again |
Taraninja16 said: I'm definitely no professional on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with the sort of genres and styles Japanese people find entertaining versus those of Americans. In America cartoons are mostly centered towards kids, and the exceptions to this rule often do have more human features (Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, etc.) This is also true for Japanese anime which is tailored more for kids, such as Doraemon for instance. But they take the world of animation much more seriously, for it is also a main source of entertainment for adults there. This might explain both the reasoning for them animating realistic figures instead of sponges living under a sea, as well as defining why exaggerations are used. If an anime was exactly like real life, many people wouldn't watch it...it would be too boring. So dramatizing each character's reactions, personality quirks, and interactions help them to burst off of the screen with life. WAIT WAIT WAIT....Did you just say that American cartoons have more human features than anime?  |
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| If movie characters are supposed to be exaggerated, then why do they look like real people so much? Is this a question that you really couldn't answer on your own? Fiction isn't always trying to be realistic. Not all anime portrays characters are overly expressive and emotive spazzes. Death Note, for example, tries to portray people fairly realistically, emulating film more than it does cartoons. Death Parade does the same thing. There are examples in film where characters who look like humans and are played by humans are very emotive and spazztic. Look at any Mr. Bean film. He's a living cartoon character. Look at superhero films and their villains. They look like people, yet they often act in very dramatic and over-the-top ways. It's visual storytelling. Serious stories tend to portray characters as realistically as possible to keep the viewer guessing. More relaxed and casual stories like slice of life wear their emotions on their sleeves. Rather than telling you they're embarrassed, characters show it very prominently and they are very forward with what they're thinking. There are many reasons to do this. Whether it's comedy, satire, or just entertainment. Fiction is a release. It's another way to see the world. To imagine a different world. To imagine ourselves in a different light. Hence, you get idealistic and unrealistic portrayals of people in anime and other mediums like film and television. Just because someone resembles a human doesn't mean they will act like it in fiction. Same could be said for vice versa. Plenty of stories exist where animals are given human-like qualities and are portrayed quite realistically in their human behavior. Stories like Nemo, Sing, Monster's Inc, Bojack Horseman, Zootopia, and so many others. I hope you can look past the visuals of something in order to determine what kind of story it's trying to tell. It's a bit absurd to expect realism from an anime that is quite explicitly attempting to break apart from it. |
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OfLove111 said: You're still looking at it only from your perspective man, if you try to actually talk to the people who like the proclaimed self-inserts it could broaden your views on the fandom. Anyway, its not like I'm trying to defend all of those isekai LN adaptions, because they're are a few that I really don't like as well and others I do like., but I'm just saying the main characters or any character for that matter are not self-inserts. self-inserting is just not a technique that's feasible outside of a dating sim, rpgs, or actual RP'ing. For a character to be a true self-insert, they have to have no preexisting personality and even if you find a personality to be dull, that doesn't mean they don't have a personality. Well I think i've said all I have to say really, if you want to discuss this more just PM at a different time. @-Mahesvara @Manaban I do think I owe you guys an apology. I did say some rude things, though I will say it came from a place of being about as frustrated as @NihilisticLoner is about unrealistic characters. Sorry Nihil, I'm about to put some words in your mouth. Feel free to disagree with what I'm about to say. However, I won't back down that self-insertation exists, mostly from two different adaptation types: adaptations of visual novels, which I've already covered, and adaptations of isekai light novels (in the vein of SAO, Isekai Smartphone, Danmachi, etc.), which I'll explain: When most writers of isekai light novels sit down to write, it feels like they start with the thought "What would be cool to do in a different world?" That's where the self-insertation lies the most: by thinking of what they think would be cool, instead of what would make a well-developed MC or a well-written novel, etc., that's where the problems Nihil and I have lie. But, even so, the amount of these light novels multiply and become popular, because 1. they're easy to write and 2. they're easy to read. It's much easier to write/read something where little goes wrong, and what does go wrong doesn't have lasting consequences, instead of making characters with realistic flaws that have true consequences (because that wouldn't be fun for the self-inserting writer). And thus: Self-insertation-->easy to write-->easy to read-->gets super popular-->gets a lot of anime adaptations, while those who are looking for something deeper like Nihil and I don't get as much of the type of anime we want. Escapism (which is different than self-insertation, I'll admit) is also a factor to this, but I'm not going to go into detail on that. I mean, there are some good isekai light novel adaptations (Hai to Gensou no Grimgar, Log Horizon, and I've heard Overlord is really good), but that's not what I'm trying to address. |
My Queens |
| Why is there a Bulbawhore, Squirtle and Pikachu in there? Oh shit. Sorry turtle-kin, mouse-kin and...uh...green plant wearing dinosaur thing...kin. How rude of me. |
NihilisticLoner said: nbyung09 said: Anime that target adults can have nothing to do with including mature characters or mature contents. A lot of them would prefer watching something more lighthearted as a method relaxation. For example anime like Ramen Daisuki Koizumi San are made exclusively for adults. And it's an anime about girls overreacting when eating ramen for comedic purpose. How?? @Saucy Death Note is one of the few exceptions. I can barely name a single anime from last year that had characters that didn't constantly overreact. Death Parade? Then I don't think you remember it as well. The characters in that were VERY exaggerated and overractive. I find live action characters, including superhero ones, to have (for the most part) believable and realistic personalities. The reason why superhero characters seemingly act, "over dramatic" is because they're usually in extreme and climactic situations, which is when someone would become more excited. That, or the villains are downright psychopaths. Still, while at times live action characters may be slightly exaggerated, they don't constantly scream like anime characters do. Okay, let me rephrase my question by using a comparison: People, for the most part, like a little salt in their food. But putting TOO much salt, tastes bad. Let me rephrase that question using anime: Anime characters acting a LITTLE exaggerated, okay. But when they act TOO exaggerated (which is 90% of the time), how does it still retain its appeal? You question doesn't make much sense to me. Who says characters acting a "little" exaggerated is okay? According to who, you? Why is having them act "too exaggerated" a bad thing? Obviously it retains its appeal for many people for reasons I've already stated above. Also, Death Parade characters were not overly expressive and superheroes are inherently over-dramatic by their character. That doesn't change when the situation changes. |
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J_LEE_C said: Taraninja16 said: I'm definitely no professional on the subject, but I believe it has something to do with the sort of genres and styles Japanese people find entertaining versus those of Americans. In America cartoons are mostly centered towards kids, and the exceptions to this rule often do have more human features (Rick and Morty, Bojack Horseman, etc.) This is also true for Japanese anime which is tailored more for kids, such as Doraemon for instance. But they take the world of animation much more seriously, for it is also a main source of entertainment for adults there. This might explain both the reasoning for them animating realistic figures instead of sponges living under a sea, as well as defining why exaggerations are used. If an anime was exactly like real life, many people wouldn't watch it...it would be too boring. So dramatizing each character's reactions, personality quirks, and interactions help them to burst off of the screen with life. WAIT WAIT WAIT....Did you just say that American cartoons have more human features than anime? No, I was saying that American cartoons geared towards adults are more realistic than those aimed at a younger audience. I hadn't brought up anime as a comparison at that point. |
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Taraninja16 said: J_LEE_C said: WAIT WAIT WAIT....Did you just say that American cartoons have more human features than anime? No, I was saying that American cartoons geared towards adults are more realistic than those aimed at a younger audience. I hadn't brought up anime as a comparison at that point. Lol okay, that I can agree with. But for a sec I thought you were meaning the character designs were more realistic. My next question was going to be if you'd ever watched Big Mouth on Netflix haha |
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NihilisticLoner said: So then why do Japanese cartoon characters NOT behave like Japanese people, at all? Actually, they do. All that timidness over the opposite sex they may or may not have feelings for? That's a Japanese behavior. They are INCREDIBLY shy about PDA (public displays of affection) even with someone they have a steady relationship with. It's considered 'improper' to be all over your partner in a public place where everyone can see. XD Also If you watch liveaction comedies or dramas, the actors overexaggerate emotions too, so its not just a anime thing, its an entertainment thing. TRUE DAT. You've gotta watch a gameshow and see how silly people are. XD |
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| Every type of T.V or film is heightened to a certain extent. Like, the characters in the most critically acclaimed film of 2017, Get Out. It's talking about white liberals, but no white liberal is doing what they were doing in that movie, But, you are also generalizing. There are plenty of Anime shows and films with realistic characters. Evangelion, Shinkai films, Mushishi, Cowboy Bebop, Nana, Your Lie In April, Attack On Titan, Madoka, Kokoro Connect, Steins Gate, Black Lagoon and a boat load of others. You are speaking of the generic ecchi/harem Animes or just straight up generic fantasy/action Animes I believe. Those are meant for a particular audience. The ones that are looking to escape. Just so happens that this is 95% of people who consume art. |
| Website:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/ Web Novel, Orange and Blue:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/orange-and-blue/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bpSHEV1__0Amma9M_WqZg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misan_akuya/  |
| honestly I think they are more balanced than cartoons in this way, we have idealistic animes, exaggerated animes, realistic animes, and all of them may be in different characters in the same anime as well, there are animes that are as exaggerated or even more than western cartoons, as well really realistic/idealistic animes, that's pretty much the reason I preffer anime tbh |
OfLove111 said: But when a VN is adapted they give each MC his own personality and he acts based on how he is written and not based on what choices the viewer wants him to make However, I won't back down that self-insertation exists, mostly from two different adaptation types: adaptations of visual novels, which I've already covered, and adaptations of isekai light novels (in the vein of SAO, Isekai Smartphone, Danmachi, etc.), which I'll explain: When most writers of isekai light novels sit down to write, it feels like they start with the thought "What would be cool to do in a different world?" That's where the self-insertation lies the most: by thinking of what they think would be cool, instead of what would make a well-developed MC or a well-written novel, etc., that's where the problems Nihil and I have lie. if you look at VN main characters you can tell they have their own distinct characterisation          Ill say this because I feel you need to be told this. It feels like? So you're basically guess working and not basing it on facts like research then right? Because thats what your argument is. It feels like they are trying to make a cool story therefore its so that viewers can self insert and pretend to be the main character Thats just stupid sorry It would be like me saying Yona is a female self insert  because she is a princess surrounded by be a bunch of sexy legendary warrior Dragons who serve her and all are incredibly sexually attracted towards her which would be just plain stupid of me to say and I'm sure you'd agree its stupid if I would actually say that OfLove111 said: Love can I just ask. Have you ever actually read a LN? But, even so, the amount of these light novels multiply and become popular, because 1. they're easy to write and 2. they're easy to read. It's much easier to write/read something where little goes wrong, and what does go wrong doesn't have lasting consequences, instead of making characters with realistic flaws that have true consequences (because that wouldn't be fun for the self-inserting writer). And thus: Self-insertation-->easy to write-->easy to read-->gets super popular-->gets a lot of anime adaptations, while those who are looking for something deeper like Nihil and I don't get as much of the type of anime we want. Because I have and I can tell you its more or less the same as reading an actual book. How would you know its easy to write a LN compared to an actual book? I have had friends who do writing and they've told me based on their years of experience its fucking hard regardless of what you write and they've gone through years with trials and errors to improve their skill and still said its hard |
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NihilisticLoner said: velvetPhos said: Well…Japanese want characters to look at least somewhat realistic and to have a personality of a cardboard, so that they can fantasize and sexualize… If only characteristic that character has is idealistic one, they it’s easier for people to fantasize and idolize the character. Exaggerating of particular characteristics is cheap, but effective way of covering non-existing other characteristics. And this result unrealistic behaviors… Also, realistic behavior and personality remind people of the shitty reality they have… (you know how messed up Japanese society is, especially working condition) Thus, exaggerated and unnatural behavior and somewhat realistic character design is perfect for Japanese audience who want to consume anime as a medium of escapism. Okay, so I get why the average male Japanese viewer would want the male characters exaggerated. But why the female characters? Why would a male viewer want a female character that acts silly, blushes over everything and commits borderline physical assault? Why wouldn't the average male viewer want a female character who is mature, cool, charismatic, and, most of all, mature when it comes to the topic of sex? @Deknijff @StarSwoardsman Most of those examples are diamonds in dozens, and they range from being old to VERY old anime, AND they're all critically acclaimed works. Hmm it's because waifus/moe (moe - characters you're attracted to) characters aren’t supposed to be people you want to have sex with, but instead people you want to protect |
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| Anime as a whole always denies realism logic since the beginning of time so that's why Spongebob Squarepants characters are more believable and more relatable than all anime characters combined. Also the best self-insert MC of all time is Morgan Freeman from Half-life series. |
| Do you play Azure Lane? Then please join my fanclub https://myanimelist.net/clubs.php?cid=74907 |
| Passive person that wants to escape from reality like me can never show emotion appropriately. For me, it's okay if they exaggerate their feelings because I find it really funny or amusing to watch. At the very least, I am indirectly trained to have a super tolerant to noisy people who likes to stay hyperactive or high. |
Gridley said: Anime as a whole always denies realism logic since the beginning of time so that's why Spongebob Squarepants characters are more believable and more relatable than all anime characters combined. Also the best self-insert MC of all time is Morgan Freeman from Half-life series. What anime do you watch???? When has SpongeBob been believable. @NihilisticLoner That's what it's like in all media. Most shows and films don't have realistic characters. If you only watch fantasy/action and ecchi/harem shows then you will only get those unrealistic characters. I can name like fifty or Anime shows where the characters felt realistic. I stay away from the generic Anime and generic shows in general |
| Website:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/ Web Novel, Orange and Blue:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/orange-and-blue/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bpSHEV1__0Amma9M_WqZg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misan_akuya/ |
NihilisticLoner said: @StarSwoardsman Can you name 50 anime, from at least 2 seasons combined, from 2016-present? I really don't watch new seasons like that. But, from what I've seen out of the 2016 and 2017 season: Orange Grimgar Attack On Titan season 2 Re Zero My Hero Academia Season 2 (the main cast). |
| Website:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/ Web Novel, Orange and Blue:https://misanakuya.wordpress.com/orange-and-blue/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bpSHEV1__0Amma9M_WqZg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misan_akuya/ |
Deknijff said: But when a VN is adapted they give each MC his own personality and he acts based on how he is written and not based on what choices the viewer wants him to make if you look at VN main characters you can tell they have their own distinct characterisation Okay, let me clarify something first: I was talking about harem visual novel protagonists. So Keiichi and Emiya doesn't count, and Okabe does or doesn't count, depending on how you view Steins;Gate. I'll admit that I haven't seen or played all of the games with the boys shown, but I have seen (or at least know about) a few, so let me start with that: The only reason Makoto has an interesting personality is because the creators decided to adapt a bad ending, instead of a good one. Tomoya has a decent personality, I'll give him that. Haruki is extremely bland. Let me bring up a few other bland protagonists from adaptations of harem and reverse harem light novels: Junichi Tachibana from Amagami SS Heroine from Amnesia (she doesn't even have a name) Yui Komori from Diabolik Lovers Deknijff said: It would be like me saying Yona is a female self insert because she is a princess surrounded by be a bunch of sexy legendary warrior Dragons who serve her and all are incredibly sexually attracted towards her which would be just plain stupid of me to say and I'm sure you'd agree its stupid if I would actually say that. Yona of the Dawn is adapted from a manga, which makes it irrelevant to this conversation. Deknijff said: Love can I just ask. Have you ever actually read a LN? I'll admit the only light novel I've read is Durarara!! But I have seen adaptations of them, and I have done plenty of writing myself (more on that later). And, once again, I feel like I need to make an important distinction. I'm talking about isekai light novels, whose adaptations are bland and a dime a dozen. Deknijff said: Because I have and I can tell you its more or less the same as reading an actual book. Probably because you're reading actual books similar to light novels. So, in that degree, I'll agree that they're similar. But I should make a distinction: I'm comparing isekai light novels to heavy, dark, sometimes long books like Frankenstein or Warbreaker. I'm comparing isekai adaptations to stuff like Texhnolyze and Monster. Deknijff said: How would you know its easy to write a LN compared to an actual book? I have had friends who do writing and they've told me based on their years of experience its fucking hard regardless of what you write and they've gone through years with trials and errors to improve their skill and still said its hard You're right, writing is hard. But writing something that's cool is a lot easier than writing something that has quality (or, at least, the type of quality I'm looking for). Most quality stories have a proper beginning, middle, end, character development in the middle, characters with realistic flaws that have lasting consequences, themes, literary devices and stuff like that. But writing that is hard. Writing something that's cool usually means creating a character that can do most, if not everything, that the author wants them to do, going on and on with the same characters because there's always something cool to explore. These are common problems isekai light novels, such as SAO and No Game No Life, have. Writing this way is still hard, but not as much. Basically, what I'm looking for is true quality with beginning, middle, end, instead of looking for something with |
OfDeathandLoveFeb 28, 2018 3:49 PM
now i will tell you what ive done for you fifty thousand tears ive cried maybe ill wake up for once screaming deceiving and bleeding for you and you still wont hear me going under dont want your hand this time ill save myself just when id thought id reached the bottom im dying again |
| A lot of what I was gonna say has been mentioned by @Saucy but anywho Other than what @Saucy mentioned, my guess is probably since Japanese comedy, in general, tends to lean more towards the exaggeration side of things as opposed to the monotonous joke telling side A lot of Japanese comedy is generally consisting of overexaggerated elements. Like in Rakugo, the performer usually does their act with a very exaggerated tone, since that's what is found entertaining by the audience. Even in quite a few seiyuu events, they tend to have overreactions sometimes like when doing skits like Miyano Mamoru Mozerella skit in the TG event for instance, or Matsuoka with his festival skit with Ai Kayano and another seiyuu (can't remember the other name off the top of my head or for what show event it was for) Of course, this is all speculation. Even if you extensively research Japanese culture it'd be hard to figure out reasons why unless you've actually experienced Japanese society |
Short_CircutFeb 28, 2018 4:20 PM
 'On-Hold' is another way for a completionist to say 'Dropped' |
OfLove111 said: I'll admit that I haven't seen or played all of the games with the boys shown, but I have seen (or at least know about) a few, so let me start with that: The only reason Makoto has an interesting personality is because the creators decided to adapt a bad ending, instead of a good one. Tomoya has a decent personality, I'll give him that. Haruki is extremely bland. Let me bring up a few other bland protagonists from adaptations of harem and reverse harem light novels: Junichi Tachibana from Amagami SS Heroine from Amnesia (she doesn't even have a name) Yui Komori from Diabolik Lovers Unfortunately, things aren't so simplistic to where you can make the argument "The character is bland, so therefore they must be an audience surrogate character" and expect it to be particularly convincing. The unfortunately reality you, and honestly all of the other people who make this argument are going to need to accept, is that A.) People who like harems are - and you might want to sit down for this because it might blow your mind given your earlier insinuations - not a monolithic hive mind of socially inept idiots stuck liking things they should've grown out of years ago, which ties into B.) that these characters don't properly function as surrogates because they're ultimately still left under the command of somebody other than an individual who can imprint their personality onto them and their actions and reactions are not being determined in a created fashion but are instead pulled at the strings of a narrative or other circumstances that causes them to act in a certain way. RPGs tend to feature surrogate characters - you create them, assign their race/skills/name/appearance/class/whatever it's all left at the one player's beck and call for the most part, and they're basically a blank slate to serve as the player's avatar in the world they're functioning in. Things are generally focused around their actions and interactions in the world around them being left open enough to where that action shapes how things progress from there on out. That is a surrogate for the individual to fit themselves into. Not a bee hive or an ant colony, not all the same, can't all fit into a character being written and reacting according to the whims of an author in regards to his set characterization and his surrounding circumstances, and not being made on the decisions and antics of the player in question. Can't really position yourself in the role of somebody who isn't at your beck and call in terms of how they interact with their surroundings because they can - and will - do things that break that sense of immersion invariably. It doesn't function properly, and given we're not talking about hentai here, which do have this and they're 98% of the time just getting down to fucking somehow, but instead things with definable moments of character interaction between two fictional entities without audience control over said interaction by and large, it can safely be assumed to be designed to be. Could be designed to be relatable, sure, but relatable and a character meant to act as a surrogate for an audience member are two entirely separate concepts and should be treated as such. Kind of where I think a lot of this comes from, the idea that these characters are designed to be relatable and kind of everyman-like in some way, shape, or form being misinterpreted in an extremity on a widespread level. Bland and surrogate are not mutually inclusive terms, and your arguments here have by and large have been reliant on them being as much, both in your previous post and your attempts to counter these examples. Which shouldn't necessarily be taken as an admittance that these characters are inherently bland mind you - like with any other type of work, there's some interesting and some uninteresting, just depends on what you like in a character in some cases - but you're making a huge jump and pretty much directly state that your argument is just you drawing that line of "Because I find a character uninspired or boring, it automatically means they exist for the audience to place themselves into as a surrogate and nothing else." Which is absurd to hold onto so much. OfLove111 said: Yona of the Dawn is adapted from a manga, which makes it irrelevant to this conversation. Dunno about you, but I've been talking mostly about harem protagonists this whole time and I kind of have the impression other people have been as well. There's harem manga, there's isekai manga, so on and so forth and there isn't a hugely distinct pattern of function to where you can draw the line between them. Dunno how it's enough to dismiss an entire example somebody is throwing at you because the source material isn't what you think is correct for the discussion, whenever the types of series and these character concepts that we're discussing here are by no means limited to LNs and VNs. OfLove111 said: I'm comparing isekai adaptations to stuff like Texhnolyze and Monster. I'm not especially concerned with sounding rude given some of your earlier statements, so let me just tell you that I found the idea of comparing things that generally function as action-adventure fantasies to psychological crime thrillers to be kind of absurd, at least whenever it's not being about between common elements outside of "these are just anime" or whatever. Nothing mechanical or similar has been put forth outside of they both exist so therefore you wish to compare them. Narrative functions, fortunately, are not set at an all encompassing level and instead function in regards to certain elements or aspects something possesses - a mystery story is going to have different mechanisms under the hood than a comedy or what have you. It's almost like you're trying to compare Apples to Oranges here and then shit on Apples for not being like Oranges and making it a matter of quality rather than anything remotely reasonable. Not to say comparisons between different types of story structures cannot be made, but shouldn't you be drawing together common elements between the two types of shows in question and then comparing the two based on their merits/maluses, rather than blatantly just saying "I'm comparing Isekai stuff to Monster and Tex and then criticizing it for not functioning like Monster or Tex"? OfLove111 said: You're right, writing is hard. But writing something that's cool is a lot easier than writing something that has quality (or, at least, the type of quality I'm looking for). Most quality stories have a proper beginning, middle, end, character development in the middle, characters with realistic flaws that have lasting consequences, themes, literary devices and stuff like that. But writing that is hard. Writing something that's cool usually means creating a character that can do most, if not everything, that the author wants them to do, going on and on with the same characters because there's always something cool to explore. These are common problems isekai light novels, such as SAO and No Game No Life, have. Writing this way is still hard, but not as much. Basically, what I'm looking for is true quality with beginning, middle, end, instead of looking for something with Quality and cool aren't mutually exclusive, you can have cool elements being at the forefront while still receiving character development and other things like that, i.e. Zero no Tsukaima is an isekai that showcases this in multiple characters morphing and changing and growing as time passes throughout its 4 series. Realism is unrelated to quality assessment because railroading everything into what you're arbitrarily deciding to be a realistic flaw for a character to possess and then lambasting a character for being over the top seems to be neglecting the idea of taking things in an unbiased and analytical metric and analyzing them for what they are - how they compare to other things in their field and what they do to be commendable or worthy of scorn - rather than just limiting yourself to this idea of how all good things "should" be. Or at least that's how I'd think a decent analyst works, being able to analyze an isekai as an isekai and not just whittle yourself into this hole of only thinking things properly function in a certain way or two. |
ManabanFeb 28, 2018 5:12 PM
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Short_Circut said: A lot of what I was gonna say has been mentioned by @Saucy but anywho Other than what @Saucy mentioned, my guess is probably since Japanese comedy, in general, tends to lean more towards the exaggeration side of things as opposed to the monotonous joke telling side A lot of Japanese comedy is generally consisting of overexaggerated elements. Like in Rakugo, the performer usually does their act with a very exaggerated tone, since that's what is found entertaining by the audience. Even in quite a few seiyuu events, they tend to have overreactions sometimes like when doing skits like Miyano Mamoru Mozerella skit in the TG event for instance, or Matsuoka with his festival skit with Ai Kayano and another seiyuu (can't remember the other name off the top of my head or for what show event it was for) Of course, this is all speculation. Even if you extensively research Japanese culture it'd be hard to figure out reasons why unless you've actually experienced Japanese society Good point on comedy, I forgot that one. Yes. Comedy is especially characteristic of any society it exists in. If you look at British comedy and stand-up, it is incredibly different from American comedy and stand-up. Even Russian comedy differs quite a bit. That doesn't mean comedy styles don't overlap, but there's a reason why people say British humour is very dry and witty. It is readily apparent that it differs from other cultures. Why? Because it's a reflection of the culture it exists in. I'm not an art expert, but I would be willing to bet that the reason why British humour is so distinct is because of British society's constant fight against the late Victorian British snobbery and the aristocracy of their roots. It's as much catharsis as it is satire. It's only a guess, but I bet Japanese comedy in anime is very expressive is because traditional Japanese society is very respectful and modest, which is why you see people's catharsis and "release" through this overly expressive anime. It's an outlet for people to break the social rules of the society they live in and imagine a different world, maybe even travel to it for a brief time. Maybe that explains why there is much more sexualization and expressiveness in anime compared to Western cartoons. Japan is a pretty repressed society. That being said, it's not like cartoons like South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, the Simpsons, Futurama, and so on aren't overly expressive either. Art is a medium for release and imagination, it reflects the culture it exists in. I think viewing anime through a Western lens, like OP is doing, and asking why it doesn't conform to our traditions of storytelling is completely missing the point. |
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Oh ok. It seems its that time again. The time I argue about stupid shit on AD  OfLove111 said: What does it matter in which route they adapt? That doesn’t even counter the fact he has own characterisation Okay, let me clarify something first: I was talking about harem visual novel protagonists. So Keiichi and Emiya doesn't count, and Okabe does or doesn't count, depending on how you view Steins;Gate. I'll admit that I haven't seen or played all of the games with the boys shown, but I have seen (or at least know about) a few, so let me start with that: The only reason Makoto has an interesting personality is because the creators decided to adapt a bad ending, instead of a good one. Tomoya has a decent personality, I'll give him that. Haruki is extremely bland. Oh just harem VN MCs you say. Well then all of them I posted except Haruki and Keiichi count as an example OfLove111 said: Are you fucking kidding me with dat shitYona of the Dawn is adapted from a manga, which makes it irrelevant to this conversation.  OfLove111 said: Oh ok I see I see I'll admit the only light novel I've read is Durarara!! But I have seen adaptations of them, and I have done plenty of writing myself And, once again, I feel like I need to make an important distinction. I'm talking about isekai light novels, whose adaptations are bland and a dime a dozen. But how does that help your point though? A dime a dozen? Something being common has no barring on quality. The works themselves are what you judge when it comes to deciding on quality Now if you think what you’ve seen is bland I can’t really say much since thats your taste in this  OfLove111 said: You think my middle and high school would force me to read LN type books for school work?Probably because you're reading actual books similar to light novels. So, in that degree, I'll agree that they're similar. OfLove111 said: Well compare whatever you want if you feel like it to show what you like and don’t like. I haven’t bothered watching those shows so I won’t say anything on them but Ill ask this But I should make a distinction: I'm comparing isekai light novels to heavy, dark, sometimes long books like Frankenstein or Warbreaker. I'm comparing isekai adaptations to stuff like Texhnolyze and Monster. why can you compare LN adaptations to manga or anime originals while still being on topic but my Yona comparison wasn’t relevant as you said above? OfLove111 said: Damn this is just trashy honestly You're right, writing is hard. But writing something that's cool is a lot easier than writing something that has quality (or, at least, the type of quality I'm looking for). Most quality stories have a proper beginning, middle, end, character development in the middle, characters with realistic flaws that have lasting consequences, themes, literary devices and stuff like that. But writing that is hard. Writing something that's cool usually means creating a character that can do most, if not everything, that the author wants them to do, going on and on with the same characters because there's always something cool to explore. These are common problems isekai light novels, such as SAO and No Game No Life, have. Writing this way is still hard, but not as much. Basically, what I'm looking for is true quality with beginning, middle, end, instead of looking for something with Isekai can have all of this. Now ignoring that SAO and NGNL aren’t finished works so they don’t have endings yet in what way would you say the shows have no character development then and no proper beginning and middle along with non realistic flaws Bring up stuff from the shows themselves please explaining why it is as such so I can see your point |
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NihilisticLoner said: Short_Circut said: A lot of what I was gonna say has been mentioned by @Saucy but anywho Other than what @Saucy mentioned, my guess is probably since Japanese comedy, in general, tends to lean more towards the exaggeration side of things as opposed to the monotonous joke telling side A lot of Japanese comedy is generally consisting of overexaggerated elements. Like in Rakugo, the performer usually does their act with a very exaggerated tone, since that's what is found entertaining by the audience. Even in quite a few seiyuu events, they tend to have overreactions sometimes like when doing skits like Miyano Mamoru Mozerella skit in the TG event for instance, or Matsuoka with his festival skit with Ai Kayano and another seiyuu (can't remember the other name off the top of my head or for what show event it was for) Of course, this is all speculation. Even if you extensively research Japanese culture it'd be hard to figure out reasons why unless you've actually experienced Japanese society Can you send a link to these events? Do you know maybe a source that explains Japanese cinema's obsession with exaggeration (because I can't find any? Tokyo Ghoul Event Matsuoka thingy (The other seiyuu was Yoko Hikasa and it was for NGNL:0) As for the other question. Not exactly sure. I mean, you'd probably have to look through the history and tradition of Japanese theatre or something along the lines to find if any source. Saucy said: Short_Circut said: A lot of what I was gonna say has been mentioned by @Saucy but anywho Other than what @Saucy mentioned, my guess is probably since Japanese comedy, in general, tends to lean more towards the exaggeration side of things as opposed to the monotonous joke telling side A lot of Japanese comedy is generally consisting of overexaggerated elements. Like in Rakugo, the performer usually does their act with a very exaggerated tone, since that's what is found entertaining by the audience. Even in quite a few seiyuu events, they tend to have overreactions sometimes like when doing skits like Miyano Mamoru Mozerella skit in the TG event for instance, or Matsuoka with his festival skit with Ai Kayano and another seiyuu (can't remember the other name off the top of my head or for what show event it was for) Of course, this is all speculation. Even if you extensively research Japanese culture it'd be hard to figure out reasons why unless you've actually experienced Japanese society Good point on comedy, I forgot that one. Yes. Comedy is especially characteristic of any society it exists in. If you look at British comedy and stand-up, it is incredibly different from American comedy and stand-up. Even Russian comedy differs quite a bit. That doesn't mean comedy styles don't overlap, but there's a reason why people say British humour is very dry and witty. It is readily apparent that it differs from other cultures. Why? Because it's a reflection of the culture it exists in. I'm not an art expert, but I would be willing to bet that the reason why British humour is so distinct is because of British society's constant fight against the late Victorian British snobbery and the aristocracy of their roots. It's as much catharsis as it is satire. It's only a guess, but I bet Japanese comedy in anime is very expressive is because traditional Japanese society is very respectful and modest, which is why you see people's catharsis and "release" through this overly expressive anime. It's an outlet for people to break the social rules of the society they live in and imagine a different world, maybe even travel to it for a brief time. Maybe that explains why there is much more sexualization and expressiveness in anime compared to Western cartoons. Japan is a pretty repressed society. That being said, it's not like cartoons like South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, the Simpsons, Futurama, and so on aren't overly expressive either. Art is a medium for release and imagination, it reflects the culture it exists in. I think viewing anime through a Western lens, like OP is doing, and asking why it doesn't conform to our traditions of storytelling is completely missing the point. Plus, there's also the idea that comedy is subjective to the user. Someone could find the most well-written joke to be absolutely horrendous but die from laughter over a dick joke. |
'On-Hold' is another way for a completionist to say 'Dropped' |
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