Steins Gate is very slightly overrated for my tastes, but my criticisms of it are different than what most people tend to say.

People say the first half or so is boring. Errr no, it's a chill SOL with a sci-fi mystery backdrop of plot that moves slowly. These people just don't like SOL anime or are shounen tards whose ADD kicks in if there isn't a fight every five minutes.

People say the characters lack depth or development. This is just dumb. A dumb criticism repeated by people who are actually dumb or maybe just didn't have their brain turned on while watching the show. Okabe / Mayuri have a wonderful relationship full of quirks and unique elements, not to mention a great backstory. Itaru is more than the typical fat oktaku type character. Even the side characters like Ruka and Rumiho have depth and development.

The cast of characters and their connection to Akihabara is a wonderful celebration to otaku culture.

My problem with the show is actually with Kurisu. She kind of just exists as this generic tsundere with a tired "smart science girl" trope attached. Everyone goes on about her as a top waifu when she's an awful waifu. Her relationship with Okabe doesn't really go anywhere (though credit to Oukoubakko no Poriomania for stepping it up a notch) and she has hardly any sex appeal. Incredibly overrated character for my tastes. Mayuri would have made a much better romantic interest for Okabe.

“In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Aggregate scoring is bad for the anime fandom

Aug 6, 2019 6:22 AM

#254

AX3M

Offline

Nov 2015

978

edelgord said:
Steins;Gate might be the next no.1 top anime. Steins;Gate diehard fans should take this opportunity to make it happen in a matter of time.

Lol, we true Steins;Gate fans couldn't care less about rankings or anything similar. True it represents how much or how many people like it but to force it to become "number one" just because it's your number one or your favorite anime is just an unscientific drivel. It's not the choice of Steins Gate.

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Aug 13, 2019 12:00 AM

#255

Not_a_Weeb_21

Offline

Oct 2018

Hmm... I'm holding myself back to send hate to this, but its your opinion I guess. I personally love this anime, I'm not surprised its up there with FMAB. Its kinda cool to look at the minorities, it hurts and makes me cringe but at the same time you can kind of see what type of person they are and what state their mind is in.

Aug 17, 2019 5:30 AM

#256

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

It wasn't my cup of tea, I lost interest in the show and stopped watching it after episode 15.

Aug 17, 2019 3:26 PM

#257

SciADV_Maniac

Offline

May 2016

1281

ABDoesThings said:
It wasn't my cup of tea, I lost interest in the show and stopped watching it after episode 15.

If you like the action packed shounen type shows (according to your favourites), then Steins;Gate is definitely not for you.

Aug 17, 2019 11:33 PM

#258

filimaua13

Offline

Feb 2019

269

People enjoy it because it tells a good story. It's not mindblowing but it's enjoyable and entertaining which is what people want when being told a story. The change in tone is appropriate for the situation and plot progression. It starts off childish because it's presented as a story about a group of nerdy friends hanging out with a sci-fi element added to it. Think of it as an actually funny version of The Big Bang Theory. The switch in tone is made to present how dire and serious the situation is. You can't expect it to remain slow and comedic when a main character is killed in cold blood.

The characters have their archetypes and tropes but they at least try to give them depth and something to do within the story. Okabe is the only one who grows as a character due to the time loop mechanic. Everyone around him remains the same so it makes sense. Okabe has been presented as a socially awkward person who uses a persona to hide insecurities and embarrassments. So when that mask is broken it's no wonder his mind is everywhere and he doesn't think things through when a VERY short time limit is put on your close friend's life.

It all depends on what you are looking for in a series. You want drama? You got it. You want slice of life and comedy? You got it. A time travel story that actually remains consistent throughout the entire runtime? You got it. A story that has personal stakes? Yes. Yes. Yes.
The enjoyment and entertainment factor is in how simple and grounded the show is.

Of course no series is for everyone so it's okay if you didn't enjoy it. It's easy to understand why one would not enjoy the childish tone of the first half. It's why some people dropped it in the first 6 episodes.

Aug 21, 2019 4:46 PM

#259

neotstyle

Offline

Mar 2014

I always thought this has to be an overrated anime, but having just watched it for the first time I am amazed by it.
At first I was put off by the otaku cast and the VN / anime archetypes since that's just not my thing, but after a while it turned into something very different. Not that the first few episodes are bad or anything, it's no generic harem or shounen or anywhere near that level, but I'm always wary of those elements.

In the end I've found that it's a very well-done story with great characters, that each receive quite a bit of development, most of all Okabe. The pacing is pretty fantastic once all the setup is done and I was really impressed with the direction of the scenes and their composition too, it really is a masterfully executed thriller drama. It's all handled in a mature and tasteful manner and with the appropriate gravitas.

I just have to say, I really felt with the characters, Okabe especially, the entire way. It's not often that that happens and I really appreciate S;G for that.
An instant favourite and classic for me. I'll be thinking about S;G for quite a while, I'm sure.

neotstyleAug 22, 2019 5:40 AM

Aug 21, 2019 5:02 PM

#260

Fancyjasper

Offline

May 2014

3361

Probably because of Makise Kurisu. Great character design.

Aug 21, 2019 5:26 PM

#261

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

Great character interactions.
Funny and charismatic MC (+ Miyano Mamoru).
Smart and independent female lead.
Complex and captivating storyline with mindblowing plottwists.
Remarkable animation and fitting soundtrack.
High quality romance.
Waifus + Harem subtext.

Aug 31, 2019 9:34 AM

#262

GoddessOfSwans

Offline

Jul 2019

MehmetY said:
How to deceive anime watchers who has an average IQ?
Step 1:
Make an anime.
Step 2:
Make first 3/4 of the anime boring
Step 3:
Make last 1/4 of the anime epic
And we're done, now people who forgot the first 3/4 of the anime will talk about how epic the your anime is.
This formula was tried on Madoka Magica and Steins;Gate and it works well.

Steins;Gate never was boring for me. I was hooked from episode 1. The first half is filled with uneasy tension that really starts to build at episode 5 up until the episode 12 climax. All the while, it allows plenty of time to flesh out its characters and setting. That's what makes the second half so great: since you've spent the first half of the series getting to know the actors in the story so well, things that happen carry a ton of weight; if you took out the first part, or trimmed it down, I don't think the story would flow as well, nor have the same impact.

Criticism is cheap. There are flaws in everything. No work of art will be loved by everyone. Now can everyone just chill?

Nov 5, 2019 7:21 AM

#263

AX3M

Offline

Nov 2015

978

DespondentBlithe said:
I know this is unrelated, but I'm looking forward to seeing this overtake Kimi no Na wa. It been a long time coming :D

I don't know why but Kimi no Na wa. lost a few points significant enough to drop its ranking a bit.

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Nov 5, 2019 7:24 AM

#264

AX3M

Offline

Nov 2015

978

ClaraValac said:
How to deceive anime watchers who has an average IQ?
Step 1:
Make an anime.
Step 2:
Make first 3/4 of the anime boring
Step 3:
Make last 1/4 of the anime epic
And we're done, now people who forgot the first 3/4 of the anime will talk about how epic the your anime is.
This formula was tried on Madoka Magica and Steins;Gate and it works well.

Bet you didn't understand a thing or two in the first half lol, because the ending would never be epic were it not for the long buildup.

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Nov 8, 2019 2:04 AM

#265

Franck_Nicolas

Offline

Apr 2016

528

AX3M said:

Bet you didn't understand a thing or two in the first half lol, because the ending would never be epic were it not for the long buildup.

The childish and "boring" beginning is necessary to build up the amazing plot until the end. It also has a lot of meanings that are hard to explain, like you can also notice the difference in terms of animation, it s done on purpose obviously. That s why it s an amazing anime.

Nov 9, 2019 12:48 AM

#266

yossu

Offline

Oct 2019

sudden tempo? what? it's emotional roller coaster. Why... nvm

the b- baka tsundere... i don't have much to say about what you like or dislike because those are based on personal opinion. imo i like all those flaws you mentioned.

no character development because this anime only take less than two weeks in real time. so.. just play along.

Okarin do stupid things... maybe what you saw in the anime didn't necessarily they means everything. At least we got the point that Mayuri's death is inevitable without that 1% divergance blah3

story isn't interesting? well it is based on personal opinion too. but can you mention any plothole? I'm waiting. also please take note that this is a sci-fi anime. Don't expect any shounen action vibe here.

This anime is aired in 2010. adapted from VN, a game. what would you expect? you're hate speech is nonsense. Plus it's better than most anime. i don't usually rate 10 but this really deserves the masterpiece title. 10/10. hope many more anime to come in the future can be as good as this anime.

May 3, 2020 7:55 AM

#267

Sayali567

Offline

May 2019

1154

Ynwe said:
Straight off, I dislike the anime. From all the 8.5+ rated anime it is probably my biggest disappointment. I find the anime to have a bunch of issues:

1) its either very childish and then suddenly serious. Dunno for me the tempo of the show just didn't fit

2) characters are super flat. Fat nerd, b-baka! type tsundere main girl, and all others also follow a very generic stereotype. Also no character development. Even if the timeline is rather short and repeated, the characters feel lifeless for me

3) Okarin.. The main character does a bunch of stupid shit, for example when he is desperately trying to save a certain person, his actions he takes are beyond pathetic and if he would get caught once, would be final... He involves everyone anyway, but they have to drag it out of him.

4) story. It really isn't that creative or mindblowing. It has a nice idea, but not much more

These were just some of the things that irked me while watching it. Usually MAL serves as a very good indicator, but for me this show was really average.

And every time I try to ask this question, people tend to get REALLY offended (looking at your /r/anime). Just a few minutes ago a person tried to convince me that the anime is a seinen one and how dare I call it a rather typical shonen one.. (and its not like I dislike shonen anyway, just finished re zero and eureka seven and liked both of those)

So could you guys tell me what I am missing? What makes this anime supposedly so great that makes it deserve a 9+ rating here?

Everything you said is 100% true, This anime is so average I don't understand why it's so popular, it doesn't deserve 9 or 10 rating at all, I watched this anime because it was so overhyped and I was so disappointed after completing it and keep thinking why just why, From what angle is this anime masterpiece? And don't even get me started on it's fandom, you say even one word against it and all of them will attack you

Jun 12, 2020 7:40 AM

#268

himesaminako

Offline

Mar 2016

I also must say this anime was incredibly disappointing. With the hype levels it had, I was expecting something on the level of FMA:B, but it wasn't anywhere near that. The story moves at a snail's pace and I didn't find the characters that interesting either, I also found them rather flat. Then I found the plot to not be that interesting, like I watched it a month ago and I can barely remember any plot elements.

They pulled off time travel/manipulation off without contradicting themselves, I'll give them credit for that, but that's about the only thing I felt was noteworthy. I wasn't that absorbed or engaged by the plot. I was more peeved that characters just kept making stupid decisions. These people are capable of building a time machine but are somehow the most incompetent people to be in charge of it.

Not to mention how the first half of the series is so slow. The only reason I stuck through it is because people told me it would get better. These people also acknowledge that the first half is pretty uneventful. And when things started happening, I still wasn't that gripped, like that was pretty much the only direction the series could go without it becoming more of a snoozefest than it was.

I think it's pretty insulting to say this is up there with FMA:B. The pacing is downright awful at times, and a lot of it feels extremely contrived. The characters don't feel complex/nuanced (they feel like they exist for story reasons and they don't feel like real characters). It really feels like it's trying to be shocking and twisty, but it doesn't come across as executed well to me, everything felt so forced. FMA:B tackles some really good topics and has good writing all around in its characters and story. I did not feel like steins;gate had any of this.

I have no doubt it probably plays really well as a visual novel (I might just play the VN to fully appreciate what it originally was) but as an anime I thought it was atrocious. I can't wait for people to tell me I have ADHD because I thought the pacing was awful and that my IQ is so low I didn't understand the complexities of the plot and can't fully appreciate the story. Like literally nothing in the entire anime's production stood out enough for me to remember it a month later, aside from the fact that it was disappointingly mediocre.

himesaminakoJun 12, 2020 7:46 AM

Jun 19, 2020 2:15 AM

#269

Franck_Nicolas

Offline

Apr 2016

528

himesaminako said:
I also must say this anime was incredibly disappointing. With the hype levels it had, I was expecting something on the level of FMA:B, but it wasn't anywhere near that. The story moves at a snail's pace and I didn't find the characters that interesting either, I also found them rather flat. Then I found the plot to not be that interesting, like I watched it a month ago and I can barely remember any plot elements.

Well it s your opinion and i won t say it s wrong. However you have to recognize that apart from the plot, the realization of the anime is the best you ve ever seen. Each sequence is perfectly put in order to convey a message, and it s incredibly creative compared to any other anime. Just try to rewatch one episode and check the angles of the cameras, the lighting, the colors, and the sounds. The whole structure of the episodes just makes perfect sense and as a 2D animator it s just incredible to watch.

I personnaly loved the plot and the pace of the anime slowly building up drama. what makes the anime great is also the fact that events are unexpected. I made my family watched it too, and when they thought they knew what would happen next, they were always wrong. The cliffhangers are on point.

Also it has a deep meaning about controlling your life and your fate, and how yours are related to other s fate.

Sep 18, 2020 3:46 AM

#270

IKKIsama

Offline

Apr 2011

1437

Same reason Christopher Nolan's movies are so popular, masterpiece for the easily pleased.

Apr 19, 2022 6:04 AM

#271

ExtravagentJoe

Offline

Mar 2022

....
There's something called opinion. I found Steins; Gate to be at the top of my list considering i have read and seen over 400+ anime. If I said," WTF is the hype about FMAB, its considerably dogshit", how would you react? From a critical viewpoint, its plot was excecuted really well, and there is character development. You probably dropped it, or you're dumb enough to make a whole post about it while stuck on its littlest flaws. Also, the fact that you mentioned re:zero, due to the fact it is a time loop of the main dying, I guess you found that enjoyable. S;G has absolutely no plotholes and you say it does, we always have an answer.

Im pretty sure your not sane.

Apr 19, 2022 6:06 AM

#272

os172

Offline

Sep 2021

614

would be an easy top 5 favourite for me if it didnt have the worst fucking humor of any show ive ever watched

srsly that shit made it drop from a 10 to a 7 and the sequels are only better because the humor is toned down

hgwnejmp.ädqwsd

See All Discussions

Poll: » Steins;Gate Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ) saxophone15 - Apr 26, 2011	241	by GatchiShoppo »» Apr 20, 4:33 PM
Poll: » Steins;Gate Episode 22 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) LadyOrihime - Aug 30, 2011	804	by MrNobodyFN123 »» Apr 18, 7:26 PM
Poll: » Steins;Gate Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Samu-tan - Apr 3, 2011	550	by Dyphz »» Apr 17, 12:00 AM
Poll: » Steins;Gate Episode 24 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) shanimebib - Sep 13, 2011	1825	by fentphantom »» Apr 12, 12:02 AM
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