Romance Love Traingles and Harems

Aug 21, 2016 4:49 PM

Offline

Nov 2009

Preface:
I've always given myself a strong filter when reading romance manga. Not which kind of manga I choose to read, but how I choose to let these thoughts on romance impact my life. I've always felt that most romance in manga was some form of wish fulfillment for the protagonist. That the protagonist was the one dealing with their biggest dreams and fears and I refused to allow some sexist impression of roles impinge upon my feelings. However perhaps there are more perspectives than just the protagonist out there. I would love to discuss some of these things with my well read officiaonados here on MAL.

One point of view is stated above. The love interest or interests of the protagonist are there to fulfill a role and develop the main character. They exist to force the mc to choose, to create dilemma and turmoil in the mcs life.

A more recent perspective has occurred to me. That the MC is there only as a place holder, not just for self insertion, but so the love interests can develop as a character. The true story of the romance is not about the mcs plight, but who the character is that brought them to it.

Which brings me to a difficult position given my preface. The things I do wish to bring in to my life, a form of romance that is not centered around "me" the first person, but "you" the love interest. As love is a thing to be given based on understanding, because of who you are in love with. If I spend all my time filtering unrealistic expectations and avoiding a sexist outlook on roles am I denying these characters the journey they've been through?

Now, what I've said is overthinking things on a whole other level, but the main questions I'd like to pose, out of all the shoujo, shounen, josei, seinen, bl, harem manga we've collectively read...

How do you interpret romance in manga? Which characters are more important to the romance, the ones that act or those that are acted upon? Do you guys also filter out unrealistic expectations? If so what are your biggest pet peeves or the worst infringements of manga romance?

I'll do my best to keep things on topic, but it goes without saying that we are discussing opinions and no ones are invalid regardless of how well articulated their ideas may be.

Aug 22, 2016 1:12 AM

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

Hello,

I don't have "pet peeve" nor "infringement" with romance manga, and I don't really understand what you mean while speaking about "filter out unrealistic expectations".

But about your question:

galeskies said:
One point of view is stated above. The love interest or interests of the protagonist are there to fulfill a role and develop the main character. They exist to force the mc to choose, to create dilemma and turmoil in the mcs life.

I think I see what you mean here, seeing a lot of manga fitting that description.
But, there is different kinds of romances in manga.

The majority of romance I read are "LGBT" themed, homosexuality, cross-dressing, whatever.
Usually those manga revolve around the acceptation, the MC struggle about accepting themselves or their love interest.
Also something common in heterosexual romances with female MC, is that the male love-interest is here to gives the MC a place in the life, a reason to exist somehow. It may be pretty sexist and shocking, but mainly it reflects a part of the Japanese society.

In both case, it is somehow about seeing the MC growing, become more mature, more "adult". It is like you said.

Though not all romances manga are like that.
There is also the tragedy romances, like in the Greek theater.

I identified two kind of tragedy romances:

1. The self-destructive love: The two MCs start as happy characters but when they encounter each other, they instantaneously fell strongly in love and become very passionate. But their love will simply destroy their live, oftentime leading to the death to at least one of the two MC, if not both. More rarely, some MCs accept to loose everything because of their love, and thus manage a sort of "happy ending".

Here there is no "growing", in the contrary the MCs "regress", becoming passionates and irrational, like children.

2. The healing love: Here the scenario is inversed, with the MCs start as depressive characters, with big (psychological) issues. Their love is not the issue, it is the solution. All the issues come from outside the couple: their past, their family, the society, whatever. And the love manage to heal the wounds of both characters.

I think it is a rare kind of romance, I saw 3, maybe 4 manga like that so far. And they usually reach two different kinds of ending: either the two characters stay together because they need each other for being able to live, they are dependent from each other, they can't live without the other one. Or the two characters depart from each other, because they are healed, and thus don't need each other anymore.

There is still others kind of romances.
For example yesterday I read Nagai Michi. The two MCs are in an arranged marriage, they don't love each other (but there is no resentment), they don't even sleep together, they each try to lead their own lives, oftentime try to find another partner.
But they always ends up together in the end, and it becomes obvious that they somehow love each other, that they care for the other, even if they are totally nonchalant and never really say it.

Aug 22, 2016 11:17 AM

galeskies

Offline

Nov 2009

I totally understand archetypal stories and there are many different ways to classify them. I really like how you interperet romance into self-destructive love and healing love. Just like plot driven stories and character driven stories. Some people will hold a preference to one over the other. Depending on the medium some are more easily produced than others and it seems you've found instances of destructive love to be more common, characters regressing to impulsive behavior, in manga and bl.

I'd like to similarly dichotomize romance manga into different categories focusing on how the characters are developed and what happens when the perspectives are changed.

One type of manga is centered around the main character. Love interests, act irrationally (does something really stupid) or according to the script in order to develop the main character. Or in other words help the reader to relate to that character more.

Another type of manga the main character is left mostly undeveloped or acts irrationally (does something really stupid) to allow the love interests to develop more leading the reader to relate or love the supporting characters as love interests.

However, like with most dichotomies there are no steadfast rules and no quantitative terms. I'm pretty sure most romance manga spends a good amount developing both the main character and the love interest, either in alternating chapters or story arcs. This is what leads me to terms like perspective and filters. When manga develops the MC and the love interest which perspective holds dominant? Can I change that perspective to suit my own reading experience? What gets lost in the process or what gets filtered out?

Instead of watching Tenchi Muyo a plot driven ridiculous harem with flat characters snd shallow motivations am I suddenly watching an intense drama in which characters struggle to express themselves?

Does anyone intentionally change the perspective of what they are reading, filter out the ridiculousness, in order to be more fully invested in the story?

galeskiesAug 22, 2016 11:25 AM

See All Discussions

» 8 Manga to Get to Know You spaceslut - Mar 12, 2023	37	by PlasticRobot »» 7 hours ago
» Do you guys read manga online or physically? ( 1 2 ) LemonXChio - Oct 27, 2023	66	by Oofmastre9000 »» 9 hours ago
» Have an amazing art in manga but not in anime kirA_-_ - Apr 15	8	by YeeYeeAss »» 10 hours ago
Sticky: » 2024 Manga Reading Challenge - Sign Up ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) MRC_mod - Jan 18	376	by HapHazrD »» Today, 4:50 AM
Poll: » Manga or Light Novels: Which do you prefer? Digibutter64 - Jan 1, 2020	29	by Jutrio »» Yesterday, 10:43 PM

Romance Love Traingles and Harems

More topics from this board

» 8 Manga to Get to Know You

» Do you guys read manga online or physically? ( 1 2 )

» Have an amazing art in manga but not in anime

Sticky: » 2024 Manga Reading Challenge - Sign Up ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )

Poll: » Manga or Light Novels: Which do you prefer?

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters