What so great about battle shounen?

Oct 12, 2020 11:07 PM

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Dec 2019

I don't hate it just to be clear, in fact, one of my favorite anime is shounen and that's FMAB. Most shounen I saw tends to recycle a shit ton of plot points and tropes. Some shounen has plots that you can predict easily. It justs an endless cycle of gets beaten by a villain > flashback/power of friendship > bullshit powerup > repeat. You can literally predict most battles all the time. It's just the same thing over and over again with just a different art style and protagonist. The only significant reason FMAB is in my favorite list is nostalgia.

Oct 12, 2020 11:22 PM

Natsu_dripneel

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Dec 2018

219

Just so you know, the guy above me is lying.

Oct 13, 2020 12:52 AM

mhkr

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Jun 2017

3183

I didn't know the 12 yo fanbase of HxH were real

Oct 13, 2020 12:55 AM

Playay

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May 2020

2721

Ability that the protagonist cast have, smart villain that doesn't die easily, strategies used, and animation (if possible).

Oct 13, 2020 1:12 AM

Zaphkiel_El_Rem

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Jun 2012

3794

I think it's fair to say that every genre nowadays have already formed their own sorts of tropes, archetypes, formula, etc. so it all boils down to each their own's execution.

But that being said, shounen have one of the most simplistic storytelling as you've exemplified and I found it easily digestible more than the others. And there's a good amount of them that have some qualitative animation and a banger of a theme songs.

Oct 13, 2020 1:15 AM

DaijoubuKirameki

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Feb 2020

180

The great thing about battle shounen is they have mainstream appeal and lot of kids like them

Oct 13, 2020 1:54 AM

alshu

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May 2018

12357

"What so great about battle shounen?"

It's repetitive and overly melodramatic.
People love strong emptions but also love stability. They will enjoy the MC being beaten to pulp and after that being totally fine for the next arc for even more beating.

Also there is the masochistic fun of:
- delaying or dragging out battles with repetitive and pointless monologues
- excessive flashbacks inside a battle
- flashback in a flashback in a battle
- postponing an important plot development with training or tournament arc
All the coitus interruptus techniques from the book.

alshuOct 13, 2020 2:03 AM

AlShu's recommendations Interest Stacks

Oct 13, 2020 1:54 AM

Catalano

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Oct 2010

21894

it's in the name, the "battle" stuff, people love a good action series

Oct 13, 2020 2:04 AM

Jim_Heart

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Nov 2011

3480

Tendo_GM said:
I also agree,
but my brother this is the perfect situation to recommend you Hunter x Hunter, it’s literally a shounen deconstruction and one of the best anime of all time, everything you see in HxH that kinda resembles other shounen is probably because HxH invented those troupes, but rest assured HxH has an insanely good plot that will subvert all your expectations.
If you want a little less dark shounen then HxH that is also executed with perfection you also have Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Those are my best shounen recommendations.

I am a fan of HXH and I am sure that HXH didn't invent all the tropes. And please don't mention HXH in the same paragraph with Demon Slayer lol.

"The Slave is the have-not, the oppressed one with nothing to spare.
But because the Slave is in that despairing situation, having nothing, it can kill the Emperor !"

Oct 13, 2020 2:05 AM

#10

King_KK

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Apr 2019

1478

Battle shounen anime are like superhero movies. They are mostly light hearted, have some decent characters and are generally nice and fun to watch. Not everybody is interested in watching mind-bending stuff like Evangelion, Serial Experiment Lain or Monogatari Series; most people just want to watch something nice and fun. So to answer your question, I believe that the greatest thing about battle shounens is it's simplicity, it's clichés and it's repetitive nature which makes it easier to watch, read and enjoy.

Oct 13, 2020 3:07 AM

#11

cheekyboiii

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Dec 2019

did the guy who recommended HxH deleted his account?

Oct 13, 2020 3:22 AM

#12

alshu

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May 2018

12357

cheekyboiii said:
did the guy who recommended HxH deleted his account?

https://myanimelist.net/profile/Tendo_GM

No, just deleted his post.

AlShu's recommendations Interest Stacks

Oct 13, 2020 3:58 AM

#13

Pyro

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Oct 2014

27052

Battle shounen stories and themes tend to be universal and easy to understand, so it appeals to a wide audience. Characters are idealized yet still relatable. It's mainstream appeal for all ages. Their long length also makes people more invested. And who doesn't like some good fights every now and then?

Oct 13, 2020 5:26 AM

#14

Zlyiond

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Jul 2020

2838

Nothing really. Just good and excessive fights that appeal to the eyes.

Oct 13, 2020 6:03 AM

#15

knead_som_dough

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May 2020

Let me paraphrase your claim in order to hint at how you answered your own question in the first place.

"Most shounen I saw tends to recycle a shit ton of plot points and tropes. Some shounen has plots that you can predict easily. It justs an endless cycle of gets beaten by a villain > flashback/power of friendship > bullshit powerup > repeat. You can literally predict most battles all the time. It's just the same thing over and over again with just a different art style and protagonist."

All genres have their tropes, which are traits that people identify and are followed as a gateway into more complex plotlines. So you don't actually predict but catch on these traits and decide they are not your cup of tea, prediction entices way more complex scenarios like picking certain cards from a big deck or the weather and other more data sensitive cases.

Now, Brotherhood has some of the elements you mention (power-ups, villains, etc.) and I cannot stress enough how this is your trump card in favor of your claim, given how limited the experience is compared to other long and renowned shounen like OnePiece, Gintama, Naruto and the latest installment of DragonBall, which adds to Z and the original DragonBall and the controversial GT.
Brotherhood doesn't repeat plots or villains or power-ups but keeps them close to the conclusion of the story and then it ends. It's not the best of examples to your case.

I may be persuaded by your argument but your construction is fickle at best. Perhaps dig a little more on how the anime industry works in conjunction with the manga industry in producing the longest possible stories and that leads to the recycling you mention and lame conflicts. Godspeed!

Oct 13, 2020 6:08 AM

#16

Kenzolo-folk

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Apr 2020

2902

I think shonen is necessary, its not just power up's, defeat villian etc,. theres more to that if u pay attention. jojo is shounen but Kira is a very interesting villian and so was Pain from Naruto. The main character i think aren't all recycles, but they do teach to never give up, which I feel like isn't THAT overused to the point I don't want to see it anymore
i can appreciate a good shonen as long as the MC isn't annoying, and there are more to the villians, and the MC reaches a point where they lose confidence, and have to build back up again.
But I prefer non-shonen most of the time

Kenzolo-folkOct 13, 2020 7:04 AM

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Oct 13, 2020 6:15 AM

#17

Storm_Mortal

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Oct 2019

301

I would say the reason I watch battle shounen is that it's just fun to watch. Some of my favourite shows I really need to be "in the mood" to watch them so that I can get the most out of them however with a battle Shounen I can always just put it on and watch it and just have a good time.

So ye basically: Enjoyable fights + Enjoyable Characters =Good Watch

Oct 13, 2020 6:15 AM

#18

JomyS

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Feb 2020

544

Sometimes it's nice to watch a show with a simple plot and nice fights

IT'S NEVER OGRE

Oct 13, 2020 6:17 AM

#19

FMmatron

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Nov 2016

32912

People see what they want to see I guess.

One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron

Oct 13, 2020 6:33 AM

#20

DivineReaper81

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Feb 2019

102

Probably cause all we want to see is cool shit. That's the purpose of fights in general. And anime does just that. Of course tie that with fights with a lot of emotions and meaning not to mention awesome choreography and animation ike Kakashi vs Obito.

Also not ALL fights drag on. Some take 10 minutes or half an episode if not maybe 1 episode.

"Don't forget my name, Soul Reaper, and you better pray that you never hear it again! Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez...because the next time you hear my name, you'll be a dead man...I promise."

Oct 13, 2020 6:39 AM

#21

S-quare22

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Apr 2017

4724

I guess people like to see action scenes regadless of how badly-executed they are?

"elles sont bien noires
les pensées des nuits blanches"

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