New
Jan 23, 2025 12:47 AM
#1
| From the over-the-top battles to the focus on friendship and rivalry, it feels like battle shounen is essentially a kind of "soap opera" targeted at a male audience. Much like soap operas, these series are built around intense emotional arcs, relationships (often between friends or rivals), and dramatic twists. They can get pretty repetitive, too. It almost feels like the core of these shows is less about the action and more about these emotional, character-driven soap opera-style moments, just with more punching. |
Jan 23, 2025 12:52 AM
#2
| A big part of soap operas is long runtime so the big battle shounen shows do kind of fit that |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
Jan 23, 2025 1:09 AM
#4
| Well... It actually works as a comperation Kinda funny |
Jan 23, 2025 2:33 AM
#5
| They are like telenovelas for guys. |
Jan 23, 2025 3:05 AM
#6
| Given how close battle shounen are to wrasslin shows, I wouldn't say no to this interpretation. |
| Hot Blood saves lives. |
Jan 23, 2025 5:20 AM
#8
| "Are Battle Shounen just soap opera for dudes?" Basically, but it handles romance even worst. |
Jan 23, 2025 7:38 AM
#9
Dragevard said: From the over-the-top battles to the focus on friendship and rivalry, it feels like battle shounen is essentially a kind of "soap opera" targeted at a male audience. Much like soap operas, these series are built around intense emotional arcs, relationships (often between friends or rivals), and dramatic twists. They can get pretty repetitive, too. It almost feels like the core of these shows is less about the action and more about these emotional, character-driven soap opera-style moments, just with more punching. Ehh... no not really Battle shounen has it's own style of drama, but it's far from being a soap opera (not to say there aren't some with a more soapy flair to them) Though you are right about battle shounen being a lot more character driven than people give it credit for, as for repetitive, yes they can be quite formulatic, and of course if that formula is not your cup of tea you'll get bored pretty quick Personally i prefere the way battle shounen showcases it's emotional arcs over soap operas |
Jan 23, 2025 7:52 AM
#10
Jan 23, 2025 8:04 AM
#11
Dragevard said: Are Battle Shounen just soap opera for dudes? The funny thing is soap operas originated as radio drama shows in the 1930s that were simply aimed at promoting soap and toiletry. Hence the name "Soap Operas". They weren't even originally aimed towards any specific demo. Where finally they ended up adopting the idea for television for the 1st time in 1949. This was when they finally noticed the majority of people who ended up watching them on TV were just bored house wives simply due to program scheduling. Where typically anyone with a full time job would not ever be able to watch them. Even back then originally they still weren't specifically trying to target a specific demographic. Also Soap operas never truly end. Where the average life of a on going soap opera is 5 to 6 decades. They simply only conclude when their contracts are no longer renewed and then the producers quickly will try to end a series in some way if at all (where some soap operas simply just stop airing without even producing some concise ending even after airing for over a decade). Soap operas are only thought to be entertainment for women simply because historically the only people who could watch them were bored house wives in the 1950s. Where Battle Shounen are only thought to be for "dudes" because they are adopted from source material primarily intended for male teenage brats. |
ColourWheelJan 23, 2025 8:35 AM
Jan 23, 2025 8:10 AM
#12
Jan 23, 2025 8:14 AM
#13
Jan 23, 2025 8:36 AM
#14
| ROTFLMAO! I've never considered it that way before, but it fits perfectly! |
Jan 23, 2025 8:39 AM
#15
Reply to ColourWheel
Dragevard said:
Are Battle Shounen just soap opera for dudes?
Are Battle Shounen just soap opera for dudes?
The funny thing is soap operas originated as radio drama shows in the 1930s that were simply aimed at promoting soap and toiletry. Hence the name "Soap Operas". They weren't even originally aimed towards any specific demo.
Where finally they ended up adopting the idea for television for the 1st time in 1949. This was when they finally noticed the majority of people who ended up watching them on TV were just bored house wives simply due to program scheduling. Where typically anyone with a full time job would not ever be able to watch them. Even back then originally they still weren't specifically trying to target a specific demographic. Also Soap operas never truly end. Where the average life of a on going soap opera is 5 to 6 decades. They simply only conclude when their contracts are no longer renewed and then the producers quickly will try to end a series in some way if at all (where some soap operas simply just stop airing without even producing some concise ending even after airing for over a decade).
Soap operas are only thought to be entertainment for women simply because historically the only people who could watch them were bored house wives in the 1950s. Where Battle Shounen are only thought to be for "dudes" because they are adopted from source material primarily intended for male teenage brats.
ColourWheel said: (where some soap operas simply just stop airing without even producing some concise ending even after airing for over a decade). Just like most anime over the decades. By far, most never have an actual conclusion. |
Jan 23, 2025 8:41 AM
#16
Jan 23, 2025 8:43 AM
#17
Jan 23, 2025 9:00 AM
#18
| I think that argument can be made for most anime. With the exception of comedy-driven ones of course. |
Jan 23, 2025 9:01 AM
#19
Jan 23, 2025 9:37 AM
#20
| You sound like a bot so much wow that crazy |
Jan 23, 2025 9:49 AM
#21
| Theoretically, yes. In practice, lots of women also watch battle shounen because of shipping, because of male characters they fancy, or because of the homoerotic undertones between male protags. So I'd say they're actually gender neutral soap operas with lots of punching. |
Jan 23, 2025 10:30 AM
#22
Jan 23, 2025 12:28 PM
#24
| Nah the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise fits that bill better than battle shonen even if those games are really popular with women as well |
| This post is brought to you by your local transfem gamer goblin. Will not tolerate bigotry and will fight against "anti-woke" sentiment to make the anime community a safer place. |
Jun 20, 2025 9:05 PM
#25
| Soap opera doesn't just mean Melodrama. There's also the tight deadlines that lead to poor production values and being forced to keep going for forever and forever. Basically, Weekly Shonen Jump used to be soap operas, but they've relaxed quite a bit and endings are allowed nowadays. |
Jun 20, 2025 9:48 PM
#26
| They are not really close enough to compare. Reasons: - Women generally love romance/drama while men despise it. Male and female catered romances are very different. - it is normal as a guy to at one point fantasize about being strong/hero. Women generally do not have active disdain for battle shounen like men have for melodrama or soaps. That is like watching paint dry for guys. |
Jun 20, 2025 10:24 PM
#27
| Explain then why some Shounen Anime like JJK have more female audience? |
Jun 21, 2025 3:37 AM
#28
| I mean what is the point of fighting without any emotional weight? For the many times I've thrown a fist I don't think I have done 'em more on emotional influence than a purely logical one |
Jun 21, 2025 3:37 AM
#29
Reply to RytvoOckakino
Explain then why some Shounen Anime like JJK have more female audience?
| @RytvoOckakino Gojo ,................. |
Jun 21, 2025 3:46 AM
#30
Reply to RytvoOckakino
Explain then why some Shounen Anime like JJK have more female audience?
| @RytvoOckakino Because Gojo Hot Women aren't any more sophisticated than men, we just pretend to be |
Jun 21, 2025 3:58 AM
#31
| shonen is an demographic not a genre, can yall stop treating it as if this was an genre, shonen since this is demographic has broad range of genres like every other demographic. |
| Greatest shitposter under the heavens. Greatest anime tourist on the planet earth. |
Jun 21, 2025 4:05 AM
#32
| All anime is about emotions to some extent, so this is not an argument. For me, soap opera means something very long, very drawn out and repetitive. A significant number of popular battles shonen (and not only them) fit this definition, but for example, I don't consider Attack on Titan or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood to be such. |
Stanis150Jun 21, 2025 4:12 AM
Jun 21, 2025 4:11 AM
#33
| I still think it is enjoyable to watch. I don't know why anyone would dislike it. |
| I have approximately 1 terabyte of anime on my computer. |
Jun 21, 2025 4:22 AM
#34
Reply to jacobPOL
shonen is an demographic not a genre,
can yall stop treating it as if this was an genre, shonen since this is demographic has broad range of genres like every other demographic.
can yall stop treating it as if this was an genre, shonen since this is demographic has broad range of genres like every other demographic.
jacobPOL said: can yall stop treating it as if this was an genre, shonen since this is demographic has broad range of genres like every other demographic. Just because you're correct doesn't mean you're right. Yes, "shonen" isn't a genre, but "battle shonen" de facto is. Yes, it's not "officially" recognized, but using it in a conversation with another anime fan means you both +/- understand what types of shows are being talked about. |
Jun 21, 2025 5:10 AM
#35
Stanis150 said: jacobPOL said: can yall stop treating it as if this was an genre, shonen since this is demographic has broad range of genres like every other demographic. Just because you're correct doesn't mean you're right. Yes, "shonen" isn't a genre, but "battle shonen" de facto is. Yes, it's not "officially" recognized, but using it in a conversation with another anime fan means you both +/- understand what types of shows are being talked about. so it still YOU are incorecct because you using term that do not exist. |
| Greatest shitposter under the heavens. Greatest anime tourist on the planet earth. |
Jun 24, 2025 3:24 AM
#37
Jun 24, 2025 5:00 AM
#38
Runasius said: that’s implying that soap operas have good romance to begin with No, it means that the romance in soap opera is pretty bad, but battle shounen somehow manages to handle it even worst. |
Jun 24, 2025 3:28 PM
#40
Reply to LuxuriousHeart
@DigiCat I think women generally are tbh.
| @LuxuriousHeart More sophisticated you mean? Curious, how so? (also is this coming from the perspective of a guy or girl?) |
Jun 24, 2025 4:36 PM
#41
Reply to DigiCat
@LuxuriousHeart More sophisticated you mean? Curious, how so? (also is this coming from the perspective of a guy or girl?)
| @DigiCat From a girl. And I just think we have more refined tastes. A wider palette. |
Jun 25, 2025 1:42 AM
#42
| Why yes, battle shounen is just soap operas with abs and energy blasts, and we eat it up because nothing says masculinity quite like screaming about feelings till your hair turns blonde . Battle shounen is just soap operas in sweatbands and power-ups. We’ve got Dramatic flashbacks every 12 minutes, Long-lost brothers, missing dads, evil moms, revived moms, cloned moms. Tears during friendship speeches mid-fistfight. |
Jun 25, 2025 2:51 AM
#43
Reply to LuxuriousHeart
@DigiCat From a girl. And I just think we have more refined tastes. A wider palette.
| @LuxuriousHeart Hmm, care to give some examples of this more refined taste/wider palette? Can be your own taste or of someone you know |
Jun 25, 2025 3:09 AM
#44
Reply to DigiCat
@LuxuriousHeart Hmm, care to give some examples of this more refined taste/wider palette? Can be your own taste or of someone you know
| @DigiCat From experience, most guys tend to just like action and sex. That's it. It's rare to meet a guy that cares about anything outside of that. Whereas girls tend to have a larger variety of interests. |
Jun 25, 2025 3:15 AM
#45
Reply to LuxuriousHeart
@DigiCat From experience, most guys tend to just like action and sex. That's it. It's rare to meet a guy that cares about anything outside of that. Whereas girls tend to have a larger variety of interests.
| @LuxuriousHeart If i have to be honest, that sounds like a very stereotypical view of things I was more curious as to what maybe your own taste in media is and what about it you'd describe as refined I have no doubt most guys love action, there is a reason why it's so popular among the demographic, but i've also definitely heard guys say "the action is cool, but it gets boring when there's no plot" |
Jun 25, 2025 4:15 AM
#46
Reply to DigiCat
@LuxuriousHeart If i have to be honest, that sounds like a very stereotypical view of things
I was more curious as to what maybe your own taste in media is and what about it you'd describe as refined
I have no doubt most guys love action, there is a reason why it's so popular among the demographic, but i've also definitely heard guys say "the action is cool, but it gets boring when there's no plot"
I was more curious as to what maybe your own taste in media is and what about it you'd describe as refined
I have no doubt most guys love action, there is a reason why it's so popular among the demographic, but i've also definitely heard guys say "the action is cool, but it gets boring when there's no plot"
| @DigiCat It's just rare to meet guys that go against the stereotype. Though it's very common to meet women that go against the stereotype. Women tend to have a variety of hobbies, and they're usually so good. Most men are gym bros, anime/video game fans, or those weird stock and tech bros. They rarely have hobbies outside of those things. Even in anime tastes. Women are likely to watch and read all demographics. Most men just watch and read Shounen and Seinen, and usually the same type of Shounen and Seinen. Battle Shounen and edgy dark Seinen. Meanwhile, women watch a variety of anime and read a variety of manga. |
Jun 25, 2025 4:30 AM
#47
Reply to LuxuriousHeart
@DigiCat It's just rare to meet guys that go against the stereotype. Though it's very common to meet women that go against the stereotype. Women tend to have a variety of hobbies, and they're usually so good. Most men are gym bros, anime/video game fans, or those weird stock and tech bros. They rarely have hobbies outside of those things.
Even in anime tastes. Women are likely to watch and read all demographics. Most men just watch and read Shounen and Seinen, and usually the same type of Shounen and Seinen. Battle Shounen and edgy dark Seinen. Meanwhile, women watch a variety of anime and read a variety of manga.
Even in anime tastes. Women are likely to watch and read all demographics. Most men just watch and read Shounen and Seinen, and usually the same type of Shounen and Seinen. Battle Shounen and edgy dark Seinen. Meanwhile, women watch a variety of anime and read a variety of manga.
| @LuxuriousHeart I'm going to assume you say rare based on your own experience? I've found it to be a lot more common than most give credit for Ok, you have provided what most women and men seem to be interested in, but what are these varied hobbies and taste for you personally? I'll tell mine too after |
Jun 25, 2025 1:11 PM
#48
Reply to DigiCat
@LuxuriousHeart I'm going to assume you say rare based on your own experience? I've found it to be a lot more common than most give credit for
Ok, you have provided what most women and men seem to be interested in, but what are these varied hobbies and taste for you personally? I'll tell mine too after
Ok, you have provided what most women and men seem to be interested in, but what are these varied hobbies and taste for you personally? I'll tell mine too after
| @DigiCat From my experience, women tend to be into: painting and drawing, pottery, reading books, journeling, scrapbooking, knitting and sewing, dance, fashion, theater, cooking and baking, gardening, design, etc. Pinterest is the perfect example. When only women used that app, it was the best. Once men started coming, you had to have rules because men were being creepy. An example of that is women with children going on Pinterest for hair inspirations for their daughter. Pinterest had to delete certain tags and photos with those tags, because of men being men (I'll let you fill in the blanks). Why couldn't men just be normal on Pinterest like women were? And again, it's shown in anime taste, just to keep to the topic of anime. Men don't care for most series if there's no violence, fanservice/sex, or just "hype" moments, or "aura" or whatever. Women tend to like a wider variety of anime. Anime and manga recs by men tend to just be edgy Seinen or battle Shounen. Women recommend everything. |
Jun 25, 2025 2:35 PM
#49
Reply to LuxuriousHeart
@DigiCat From my experience, women tend to be into: painting and drawing, pottery, reading books, journeling, scrapbooking, knitting and sewing, dance, fashion, theater, cooking and baking, gardening, design, etc. Pinterest is the perfect example. When only women used that app, it was the best. Once men started coming, you had to have rules because men were being creepy. An example of that is women with children going on Pinterest for hair inspirations for their daughter. Pinterest had to delete certain tags and photos with those tags, because of men being men (I'll let you fill in the blanks). Why couldn't men just be normal on Pinterest like women were?
And again, it's shown in anime taste, just to keep to the topic of anime. Men don't care for most series if there's no violence, fanservice/sex, or just "hype" moments, or "aura" or whatever. Women tend to like a wider variety of anime. Anime and manga recs by men tend to just be edgy Seinen or battle Shounen. Women recommend everything.
And again, it's shown in anime taste, just to keep to the topic of anime. Men don't care for most series if there's no violence, fanservice/sex, or just "hype" moments, or "aura" or whatever. Women tend to like a wider variety of anime. Anime and manga recs by men tend to just be edgy Seinen or battle Shounen. Women recommend everything.
| @LuxuriousHeart Again, you just wrote the stereotype, my question was what are your personal varied likes/interest as a woman? What are maybe some of you're personal recommendations? I'm not sure how pintrest started out and evolved over the years as i don't use it much, but i can tell you from personal experience, it's definitely not just men who can be creepy online (or irl for that matter) As for the things you mentioned, yes, things like sewing/knitting have more interest from women than men, likely due to it being considered a feminine role in the past, women also tend to be more into journaling as it's a way to externalize your emotions, something that is more typical of women than men, but i don't see how art or cooking fit in here as there's many men and women with such interest, a lot who've even made it their livelyhood, even things ike fashion and dance that gain more interest from women have a decent amount of men who're into it too |
Jun 25, 2025 4:01 PM
#50
Reply to DigiCat
@LuxuriousHeart Again, you just wrote the stereotype, my question was what are your personal varied likes/interest as a woman? What are maybe some of you're personal recommendations?
I'm not sure how pintrest started out and evolved over the years as i don't use it much, but i can tell you from personal experience, it's definitely not just men who can be creepy online (or irl for that matter)
As for the things you mentioned, yes, things like sewing/knitting have more interest from women than men, likely due to it being considered a feminine role in the past, women also tend to be more into journaling as it's a way to externalize your emotions, something that is more typical of women than men, but i don't see how art or cooking fit in here as there's many men and women with such interest, a lot who've even made it their livelyhood, even things ike fashion and dance that gain more interest from women have a decent amount of men who're into it too
I'm not sure how pintrest started out and evolved over the years as i don't use it much, but i can tell you from personal experience, it's definitely not just men who can be creepy online (or irl for that matter)
As for the things you mentioned, yes, things like sewing/knitting have more interest from women than men, likely due to it being considered a feminine role in the past, women also tend to be more into journaling as it's a way to externalize your emotions, something that is more typical of women than men, but i don't see how art or cooking fit in here as there's many men and women with such interest, a lot who've even made it their livelyhood, even things ike fashion and dance that gain more interest from women have a decent amount of men who're into it too
| @DigiCat My personal interests? Sewing, art, cooking and baking, music (I can play the violin and piano), home design, and I like video games and anime. I also like skating. I like a variety of anime and manga, but I lean more Shoujo. I like a variety of shows, but the shows I prefer are the ones that men (specifically white) like to call DEI (I love diverse shows). |
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