| Curious on what makes an anime edgy.... I assume different shows (Ones that considered quite edgy) will have each different reasons... |
| Since MAL finally updated their genres, it would be Avant Garde, as that is the literal definition for edgy. |
 I don't believe in the Devil. You should. He believes in you. |
| When they try to be mature and dark, but fail |
| If you're a fanboy, please don't waste my time. Watch more movies, please. Perhaps, this is hell. |
| Whatever Tokyo Ghoul is doing is the definition of edgy |
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| Edgy means if something is unusual, bold or intentionally provocative on a thematic level. The classic edgy anime is Death Note. Other anime that are edgy are Evangelion, Madoka or Devilman. However there are many anime that try to look cool by forcing edginess via artstyle, nihilistic quotes and splatter. Those are often mistaken as edgy shows, or intentionally mistaken because its cool to reject the edge, while by definition are actually fake-edgy shows. You know shows like Akame ga kill. |
dertassoSep 21, 2021 12:35 PM
| I think it's when the show either doesn't warrant dark or mature themes (Like gore and nudity) and it's just unnecessary, or when the show has them but they feel pretty surfaced level and aren't shown to progress the plot or aren't explored in any way. A show that talks about the consequences of murder for example needs to have that elements because it'll genuinely explore these mature themes. |
| I don't speak English that much, so please cut me some slack |
| When the anime involves lots of killing/genocide, revenge, pain, suffering, graphic imagery, and just dark themes in general. Another likely indicator of an edgy anime is when the main character is the main villain of the story. It also depends on how scenes are executed and presented in the anime, since the story’s focus, mood, and dialogue do largely influence whether an anime comes across as edgy or not. Death Note, AOT, Texhnolyze, Mirai Nikki, & Elfen Lied are all pretty edgy. Hunter x Hunter can be really edgy sometimes too lol |
GinInYourJuiceSep 21, 2021 11:19 PM
| anime that add a large amounts of death, gore, rape and other dark themes without the story beats to back it up and lack the depths dark shows that are good have. for example Akami ga kill, Overlord, magical girl rasing project, and redo healer is Edgy. Berserk, higurashi, madoka magica and kara no kyoukai is dark |
| "among monsters and humans, there are only two types. Those who undergo suffering and spread it to others. And those who undergo suffering and avoid giving it to others." -Alice “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.” David Hume “Evil is created when someone gives up on someone else. It appears when everyone gives up on someone as a lost cause and removes their path to salvation. Once they are cut off from everyone else, they become evil.” -Othinus  |
| When it surprises you how dark it can actual be and how suspenseful and serious it is. But mostly it's edgy when it's not trying to be. Take Madoka Magica for example. |
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| literally what redo healer is centers around this supposedly badass protagonist thats really just a huge wimp good edgy tho would be something like berserk or deathnote |
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| So far interesting takes on edgy anime, love most edgy shows but some shows are too much to handle man really depends on how one handle things. |
| Unrequired violence and gore and some over the top shits is what I consider to be edgy. Berserk is not edgy imo. Tokyo Ghoul is a perfect example of edgy. The recent cartoon series Invincible is the best example I know of edgy in whole fiction. |
ohohohohohoho said: I feel like it's when fiction tries to be "shocking" or "dark" but really the situation they're presenting is like, less frightening than reality, rather pedestrian for popular fiction, or just comes off as melodramatic (how "dark" it appears has to do more with the tone set by the music, art style, exaggerated expressions, and so on, rather than the actual content being presented in and of itself). If something is edgy it fails to be transgressive or actually shocking. It is kind of silly imo to suggest that anything that deals with traumatic subject matter or represents a pessimistic view is automatically edgy. The best take in this thread, unfortunately it will be missed by many |
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dertasso said: Edgy means if something is unusual, bold or intentionally provocative on a thematic level. The classic edgy anime is Death Note. Other anime that are edgy are Evangelion, Madoka or Devilman. However there are many anime that try to look cool by forcing edginess via artstyle, nihilistic quotes and splatter. Those are often mistaken as edgy shows, or intentionally mistaken because its cool to reject the edge, while by definition are actually fake-edgy shows. You know shows like Akame ga kill. You should scroll down and read ohohohohohoho post, it's very accurate |
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| Edgy is basically darkness without purpose. |
Lunilah said: Since MAL finally updated their genres, it would be Avant Garde, as that is the literal definition for edgy. That would be pretentiousness not edgy. |
gotta go edgy fellas, all hail shadooooow |
| excessive gore, trash or no plot, weak or wannabe cool characters |
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GreenPlatinum said: Pretentiousness has absolutely nothing to do with either of these things, and yes, it's the literal definition of it.Lunilah said: Since MAL finally updated their genres, it would be Avant Garde, as that is the literal definition for edgy. That would be pretentiousness not edgy. |
I don't believe in the Devil. You should. He believes in you. |
JustN0tMe said: Thank god you and that ohoho guy can google it. Edgy literarally means 'on the edge' of what is usual and the norm. However if everyone uses it wrongly, wrong will become right sooner or later because thats gow language works.dertasso said: Edgy means if something is unusual, bold or intentionally provocative on a thematic level. The classic edgy anime is Death Note. Other anime that are edgy are Evangelion, Madoka or Devilman. However there are many anime that try to look cool by forcing edginess via artstyle, nihilistic quotes and splatter. Those are often mistaken as edgy shows, or intentionally mistaken because its cool to reject the edge, while by definition are actually fake-edgy shows. You know shows like Akame ga kill. You should scroll down and read ohohohohohoho post, it's very accurate |
dertassoSep 22, 2021 3:45 AM
Atleast Hajime still listen and respect his teacher iirc thats a plus point for me. |
| If it has a lot of edges then I consider it edgy tbh |
| Superficial handling of mature themes |
| Something that tries too hard to be cool, dark or mature. |
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| To me, edgy is when something uses darker themes and elements such as graphic violence for their own sake rather than have an underlying reason within the narrative for using them. It's like a pizza cutter: all edge, no point. For example, Urobuchi's works are not edgy because the darker elements play an important role in what the stories are able to achieve, but something like Akame ga Kill and Elfen Lied use them almost purely for the shock factor. |
HalcyonSkySep 23, 2021 9:49 AM
 A society which fails to uphold empathy as its foremost guiding principle is doomed to ignore or even defend the exploitation of its most vulnerable members. |
| When it tried to hard to be dark, and deep. And when you hit your hip on it, it hurts. |
╔════════════════ • ❊ • ════════════════╗ Sometimes it feels like I've got a war in my mind I want to get off, but I keep riding the ride I never really noticed that I had to decide To play someone's game, or live my own life - Get Free, Lana Del Rey  ╚════════════════ • ❊ • ════════════════╝ |
| Nothing - I find it's usually a nonsense criticism. This, "cringe/cringy", and "pretentious" are at the top of the list of some of the most overused and abused words on the internet in the past several years. |
dertasso said: Thank god you and that ohoho guy can google it. Edgy literarally means 'on the edge' of what is usual and the norm. However if everyone uses it wrongly, wrong will become right sooner or later because thats gow language works. I had a feeling you would react like I did after reading his post. This forum is filled with trash takes, so whenever a good one is posted, just reading them is gratifying |
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ohohohohohoho said: I feel like it's when fiction tries to be "shocking" or "dark" but really the situation they're presenting is like, less frightening than reality, rather pedestrian for popular fiction, or just comes off as melodramatic (how "dark" it appears has to do more with the tone set by the music, art style, exaggerated expressions, and so on, rather than the actual content being presented in and of itself). If something is edgy it fails to be transgressive or actually shocking. It is kind of silly imo to suggest that anything that deals with traumatic subject matter or represents a pessimistic view is automatically edgy. dertasso said: Edgy means if something is unusual, bold or intentionally provocative on a thematic level. The classic edgy anime is Death Note. Other anime that are edgy are Evangelion, Madoka or Devilman. However there are many anime that try to look cool by forcing edginess via artstyle, nihilistic quotes and splatter. Those are often mistaken as edgy shows, or intentionally mistaken because its cool to reject the edge, while by definition are actually fake-edgy shows. You know shows like Akame ga kill. Both of these. Couldn’t have said it better. It’s a shame the word “edgy” has such a bad connotation to it. It’s as if it adopted “cringe” as a synonym. Imo, examples of a great, edgy show is easily Death Note or Berserk and examples of cringe-edge would be Redo of Healer or Mahou Shoujo Site. |
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| When the main character acts edgy like one example imo is Tokyo ghoul |
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| The word edgy is a doubled-edged sword. Sometimes it cuts deep but other times it cuts you ... |
SignsOfSuicideSep 23, 2021 7:37 AM
| Don't let others ruin things for you. Even if a toxic fan pisses in your cereal, you could just get another bowl of cereal. The 50 Anime You Should Watch Before You Die |
| Most people use the word edgy simply to describe whatever anime that they dislike or has elements that they dislike such as Redo of healer(schadenfreude inspired vengeance), Death Note(The reality that might makes right), Overlord(Massacring of innocents), etc etc none of which has any similarities to each other that fall within the definition of edgy to each other and are just riding of the negative connotation of the word with no understanding of what it actually means. Definition of edgy: something or someone trying too hard to be cool, almost to a point where it's cringe worthy. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=edgy JJBA: Over the top gestures, dialogues, the Jojo flavor. There's a reason the Jojo memes are the most prominent within the anime community. I mean who explains fetching a leg and than uses a flight attendant serving a drink & caviar to a first class passenger as a metaphor? Kakegurui: Basically the typical Jojo mannerism but female instead. Hellsing: Or rather specifically Arucard who reminds me of my 13 year old self fantasizing about having super powers and using my overwhelming strength to take control of everyone and doing whatever the hell I want. Also commonly known as chuunibyou though I never actually acted out my fantasies. |
| When the shock due to sudden dark themes defines the story rather than the actual plot. |
SeriscaSep 23, 2021 8:59 AM
ChouEritto said: "Edgy" usually just means something controversial or dark. As a negative connotation though, it's a lack of depth to the dark and controversial subject matter, or such controversial events not being a major turning point for a series. In other words, being superficially "mature" when in actuality its just explicit and dark for the sake of it rather than for anything meaningful. For example, a clear sign that a series is edgy in the negative sense is when goes on about how bleak the world and its systems are without proposing any actual solutions. Angsty nihilism isn't a substitute for mature theme/concept exploration. Hm, those are some really interesting points! I’ve never thought about it that way. I guess in order for something to be considered edgy, it would have to be compared to something else, and we’d have to know what the norm is to begin with. Going against the grain, just for the sake of going against the grain, would indeed be quite edgy. |
| All the popular Avant Grande like NGE, Higurashi, Lain, maybe Perfect Blue are good examples. But the sole Avant Grande nonsense are just very very odd. Elfen Lied and the likes can fit the definition too. Basically, the "y meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I DID NUTHIN RONG!!!", yknow like Akame ga Kill and AOT (though I don't find them edgy tbh) |
| Anything which I feel writes its plot around trying to shove in as many dark themes as possible, rather than including dark themes to service the already existent plot That's the best way I can explain it. It's just something where I know it when I see it Examples of series I felt wrote their plots around trying to fit in as many dark elements as possible (not necessarily a bad thing or anything), ie "edgy": Madoka Magica, Evangelion, Day Break Illusion, Happy Sugar Life Examples of series with dark elements where I feel feel they were included to service the plot, ie "not edgy": JoJo, Princess Principal, School-Live! |
KanoeHitokoujiSep 23, 2021 9:19 AM
My greatest contribution to this website:  |
| If it's extremely gory and is depressing then it's edgy |
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| Mirai Nikki is the embodiment of edginess in anime. You can check that out. |
"Nobody could laugh at someone who's trying their hardest" -Machio- |
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