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Cliches in anime that need to die.


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Animeking1108



Joined: 26 Apr 2011
Posts: 1244
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:16 pm Reply with quote
Is there a cliche in anime that annoys the piss out of you? I think we all do. What annoys you and why do you want to see it bleed to death after getting stabbed?

The Tsundere Archetype- It's like whenever these characters get conceived, the writer asks himself "how can I make her detestable?" Every Tsundere is the same: the main character slightly annoys them, they beat them to a bloody pulp, everyone just spectates instead of calling the police, and we're just supposed to believe her and the lead are made for each other despite no positive chemistry just because the writer "said so." Rule of Funny doesn't fix it. People who grew up in abusive homes will not only get offended, but call the writers monsters for thinking that's funny. The worst offenders are Naru from "Love Hina," Minami from "Baka and Test," Filler!Sakura in "Studio Pierrot Presents: Naruto in Name Only," and Kirie from "Girl's Bravo." You ever stop to wonder what happens to those characters years after the series ended? My theory would be that they force their whipped husbands to lie to the police how they got their black eyes and then beats them for outing them as a domestic abuser.

Now, for every annoyance, there's always an exception. Haruhi from "Ouran High School Host Club" is very tolerable, probably because for a tsundere, she's rarely violent. Sakura from "Naruto" is no where near as much of a violent dumbass as she is in the bastardized fillers. Rumiko Takahashi seems to do well with her tsundere characters, such as Akane Tendo and Kagome Higurashi, probably because the male leads are already insufferable jerkasses and the deserved it.

The Entire Harem Genre- The entire genre is one big cliche: A spineless loser that can't get laid is suddenly sought after by every girl. There's the tsundere, the lollicon, the alcoholic, the shy moe girl, the cougar, and the Z-cup. The main character gets into hijinks that allows him to see the girls naked, leading to an ass-kicking. The series ends with the lead getting with the tsundere because Japan thinks domestic abuse is funny. The End.

Shoot first, no questions later- In relation to my tsundere rant, when ever the main character gets caught in a situation where he's mistaken for a pervert or any other thing that would piss the tsundere off. Instead of taking a moment out of her day to let the main character explain himself, she proceeds to kick his ass. Unlike the Harem Genre, this seems to be exclusive in all genres. I think the moment this pissed me off the most was in episode 6 of "Rock Lee and His Ninja Friends." It was a sports festival episode, and they got to the scavenger hunt. Naruto ended up getting a task that involved taking something from Sakura, though they didn't say what, it's clear that it pissed her off. It was right in her face that it wasn't Naruto's fault and she still kicked his ass. I think what irritates me more is that even after the Tsundere finds out it wasn't the lead's fault, there's no apology and were just supposed to forgive that violent gank.

This seemed to have just been one giant rant on the Tsundere archetype, and I apologize. So, what cliches annoy you and why?
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dandelion_rose



Joined: 12 May 2012
Posts: 657
Location: Kuala Lumpur
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:22 pm Reply with quote
The male lead in harem anime / manga.

Just get rid of him, and place another pretty girl in his place instead.
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moonie92



Joined: 15 Nov 2011
Posts: 167
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:33 pm Reply with quote
I'm sure this trope can be done right, but so far it has done nothing but creep me out. The sister brother love affair. I heard Koi Kaze was good on the subject, but Sister Princess gives me the wilies. Sure you admire your big brother a bit, but you don't want to bang him. And surely not all twelve of you want to bang him at that. I'm not really one for incest at all. Maybe it's just me.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:42 pm Reply with quote
Funny thing about the spineless harem lead: Ah! My Goddess itself just formulated a reasoning behind K1's impotence. I know there might be some proto-leads before that manga, but AMG is the one that became the biggest and most well known for over a decade, the obvious work that spurred others into creation using similar character archetypes. Now that Keiichi has an excuse for never wanting to make a move on Belldandy, and her jealously preventing him from pursuing other work, what excuse do the leads from other series have? None, they're just nut-less. I'd almost go so far as to say this is a good way to jam a stick into that tired cliche, and no better place for it to come from than the proverbial "Just have intercourse already" manga. Now, I don't mind harem anime, I just wish the lead was a better character. Seikon no Qwaser provides that in Sasha, the thirteen year old Russian soma-chugging titty-grabbing boss that he is.
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Fedpo



Joined: 19 Nov 2010
Posts: 40
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:48 pm Reply with quote
Well aren't you aggressive? Anime smile + sweatdrop

I actually rather like tsunderes. My only problem is with the ones that are static, especially in longer series. As long as they eventually change their manner or at least do more good than bad, they're usually okay in my book.

Let's see... cliches that I hate...

The oblivious male lead: You know, that guy that has girls fawning all over him and doesn't seem to ever realize it, no matter what happens.

Yelling out attacks while using them, even if it's not required...

Why is it every time someone tries to sneak attack someone else, they have to scream, thus ruining the whole point of a sneak attack?

I guess that's all for now.
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dandelion_rose



Joined: 12 May 2012
Posts: 657
Location: Kuala Lumpur
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:59 pm Reply with quote
Fedpo wrote:

Yelling out attacks while using them, even if it's not required...

Why is it every time someone tries to sneak attack someone else, they have to scream, thus ruining the whole point of a sneak attack?


From what I know, this is a style that came from martial arts / fighting manga -- readers were interested in knowing what style of attack was used, but couldn't always tell. I suppose it looks less convincing in anime, but being a bit of a fight manga fan, I rather like it.
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Surrender Artist



Joined: 01 May 2011
Posts: 3264
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:05 pm Reply with quote
The Exposition: Anime has a bad habit of telling not showing like mad. Plenty of series have hurt themselves by having characters explain things in great detail with such inane pretenses of dramatic sense that it kills suspension of disbelief behind the woodshed. I believe that Erin Finnegan calls is, "sitting around drinking coffee and talking about the plot." I know anime has limited budgets, but that doesn't mean that you give up and just vomit the facts to the audience. This is especially aggravating when something is exposited in detail, then actually show in a way that any but the marginally intelligent could have grasped, thus making the exposition moot and nearly insulting.

Sneak-a-Peak and Whoopsie-Daisy Fanservice: Populating a series with vacant-eyed, oblivious blow-up dolls who are routinely involuntarily exposed, felt up 'accidentally' or just plum don't notice that their sexual et ceteras on on display isn't 'sexy', it's depressing and a little distressing. Double that if the female in question is visibly humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise emotionally provoked for our delight. It's also about as inimical to suspension of disbelief as vomited exposition. Have all of the sexy people you want, but make that sexuality theirs, not a demeaning plaything for the lowest common denominator of the local junior high locker room.

High School: Seriously; high school can go to Hell. No, my high school years weren't bad, they were pretty all right, but I've moved on and always wanted to. if I didn't think that they were that interesting then, I'm not going to find them any more interesting now unless I'm such a desperate, listless sadsack that I have to vicariously have a fulfilling, hopeful adolescence through a screen. Sure I am a sadsack, but I'm a self-aware one.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18442
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:06 am Reply with quote
Surrender Artist wrote:
High School: Seriously; high school can go to Hell. No, my high school years weren't bad, they were pretty all right, but I've moved on and always wanted to. if I didn't think that they were that interesting then, I'm not going to find them any more interesting now unless I'm such a desperate, listless sadsack that I have to vicariously have a fulfilling, hopeful adolescence through a screen. Sure I am a sadsack, but I'm a self-aware one.

From what I've heard, part of the reason that high school gets emphasized so much - aside from the target audience commonly being in that age range - is that many Japanese consider their high school years to be the high water point of their lives.

That aside, one cliche that I would definitely like to see die is fighters standing around watching as an opponent goes through some elaborate power-up. DB and especially DBZ set a horrible standard for this that has lingered for more than 20 years now without any sign of abating.
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moonie92



Joined: 15 Nov 2011
Posts: 167
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:15 am Reply with quote
[quote="Key"]
Surrender Artist wrote:

That aside, one cliche that I would definitely like to see die is fighters standing around watching as an opponent goes through some elaborate power-up. DB and especially DBZ set a horrible standard for this that has lingered for more than 20 years now without any sign of abating.


Agreed! I know your supposed to root for the good guy and all, but in Sailor Moon sometimes I can't help but shout out while they are all transforming, right infront of the enemies, "HIT THEM WHILE THEY'RE WEAK!" It'd be so much more interesting if you had to hurry up and power up because, I don't know, your being attacked by an evil super villian? Rolling Eyes
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
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Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:27 am Reply with quote
moonie92 wrote:
I'm sure this trope can be done right, but so far it has done nothing but creep me out. The sister brother love affair. I heard Koi Kaze was good on the subject, but Sister Princess gives me the wilies. Sure you admire your big brother a bit, but you don't want to bang him. And surely not all twelve of you want to bang him at that. I'm not really one for incest at all. Maybe it's just me.

Okay, thought I was also responding to this one in my previous post. Not sure what happened there. . .

Anyway, in anime true incest is nowhere near a common enough occurrence for brother/sister love to be legitimately called a cliche. And yes, Koi Kaze is an outstandingly well-written example of it actually happening; in fact, I'd go as far as saying that it may be the best-written anime series about any subject matter.
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Anymouse



Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 685
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:28 am Reply with quote
European Style Maids. Too many maids, wearing standard black and white getups. Can't their be a least a little variation with Japanese clothing? Or even cleaning ladies like Merry Maids? The latter could actually become a show. A bunch of high school girls decide to set up a cleaning business. Hilarity ensues. I probably wouldn't stick around to watch it, but it would be at least a little different.
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moonie92



Joined: 15 Nov 2011
Posts: 167
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:32 am Reply with quote
The twins in Myself; Yourself have a relationship, I think. It's not really clear, but it's more than a little creepy to me. But then again I'm the one out of my friends that doesn't squeal over twincest in Ouran. I just find it really weird that you would have feelings toward your brother. And I know it's just played for laughs. Maybe I'm just watching the wrong shows but it crops up more than I would like it to. I read somewhere that twins were apparently star crossed lovers in their past lives and reincarnated as twins, which I find strange.
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dandelion_rose



Joined: 12 May 2012
Posts: 657
Location: Kuala Lumpur
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 12:42 am Reply with quote
Anymouse wrote:
European Style Maids. Too many maids, wearing standard black and white getups. Can't their be a least a little variation with Japanese clothing? Or even cleaning ladies like Merry Maids? The latter could actually become a show. A bunch of high school girls decide to set up a cleaning business. Hilarity ensues. I probably wouldn't stick around to watch it, but it would be at least a little different.


This is the exact thing that was poked fun at in Welcome to the NHK. The main character, Satou, is given a 'job' as a game scenario writer but can't create a female character. His friend advises him by giving an archetype -- a maid -- and the first thing that comes to his mind are RL cleaning ladies.
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TitanXL



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:38 am Reply with quote
Anymouse wrote:
European Style Maids. Too many maids, wearing standard black and white getups. Can't their be a least a little variation with Japanese clothing? Or even cleaning ladies like Merry Maids? The latter could actually become a show. A bunch of high school girls decide to set up a cleaning business. Hilarity ensues. I probably wouldn't stick around to watch it, but it would be at least a little different.


Where's the fun in non-fetishized maids? That's the whole point.

It seems like a lot of these cliches being subverted would be just for the sake of subverting them, not actual increasing quality of the show. Like the transformation sequence. Sure, there could be a time they could attack while they're transforming (Digimon Adventure's Our War Game comes to mind) but it's really only for the sake of saying "Yeah, we subverted it, we're cool, huh?" A lot of the cliches are either cultural or for the coolness factor. Transformations are suppose to be animation porn for the most part, high quality or cool looking sequences , then throw in the post-transformation poses and speeches like in Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. It's all for coolness and build up, building tension for a fight or the climax of the scene. (Not to mention a lot of them are instantaneous and are only a minute long for the audience's sake)

Same thing with attack names. In addition to it being an actual martial art practice, I find it much cooler and dramatic when they're being shouted out. Especially during the final blow. "RYU.." then the hero grabs the villain, who looks shocked. "SHOUKOU" the hero places both palms on the villains chest as he starts freaking out. "GEKI" then a huge blast of energy shoots through the villain and out his back as the finishing blow to a long, spectacular battle. Just doing the random blast without it seems much less interesting. It's a shounen staple especially, and it also helps in naming techniques and training them.

I'd go for good 'cliches' over being unique for the sake of being unique and failing to be interesting at doing it.


Last edited by TitanXL on Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:50 am; edited 1 time in total
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Anymouse



Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 685
PostPosted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:50 am Reply with quote
It's not impossible to fetishize ordinary people in cleaning uniforms. It just hasn't been done much.
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