Forum - View topicSmiles In Anime Theory.
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ChibiKangaroo
 Posts: 2941 |
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So, I randomly decided to watch Deadman Wonderland after seeing it being promoted on CN/Toonami.
Previously, in at least one other thread, I discussed the idea that you can tell how evil someone is in anime by gauging how much they smile. Now, this is not bullet proof, since some good characters smile as well, but they generally smile in response to something that is funny or some scene that is being pushed on the audience as a "feel good" scene. But what about the guys and girls who just seem to suddenly smile for no apparent reason at all, or smile as darkness/shadows fall over their face, or when no one is looking? What, exactly, are they smiling about? Well, I think we know from the anime-watching experience that those people are evil in some way. Why is that? What is it about smiling that is so evil? Is it that evil makes you feel that good that you can't help but smile? So, like I said, I watched Deadman Wonderland, and boy does this show just play right into my whole "smiling is evil" concept. When someone has a huge grin from ear to ear in Deadman Wonderland, they are like the devil. The show takes evil people smiling to a whole new level. Someday, maybe I will do some real in depth research on this subject - what is it about evil that makes people so happy? Or vice versa, what is it about smiling that is so evil? On a side note, I also realized how much Tokyo Ghoul seems to have copied Deadman Wonderland 
(I was going to use the smiley face emoticon, but then I realized how evil that might make me look, so I decided the "cool" one is pretty neutral.) |
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Jose Cruz
 Posts: 1798 Location: South America |
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Not only in anime, but in Japanese culture in general. In fact, I always though that trope was universal, American movies do not have the trope of evil villain smiling?
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Yes, American culture also has the slasher smile.
A big part of fiction is not just having good battle evil, but also test sanity against insanity. In matters of life and death (like an amusement park that doubles as a prison), smiling is unnatural and inappropriate, so someone who does it is probably deranged. And because heroes are only rarely crazy, a deranged person must therefore be evil (at least in part). |
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leatherhead333
 Posts: 1187 Location: Kansas |
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You damn troll!
Yeah, this is pretty normal villain depiction in anime, movies etc. I wouldn't say it's so much the smile though but the hidden eyes that give it away in my experience. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HiddenEyes 8 times out of 10 any character who smiles while sporting the hidden eyes is either insane,evil or hiding something (of course this also shows emotional distress but I'm referring more to people who aren't the main character). When I was watching Higurashi I noticed this happened many times right before people went bat shit insane. This is why it's especially easy to suspect characters who never open their eyes. It's very hard to get a read on if the emotions they display are sincere or not. And as you've pointed out they usually smile quite often. |
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Chiibi
 Posts: 4829 |
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NEVER EVER trust a character when a smile is their only expression.
I first learned this years ago when I first watched Gravitation and Touma who is always like ^____^ spoiler[purposely pushes another character in front of a truck.] Touma had his reasons...but....... 
Lol, characters like this are absolutely terrifying. Look at freaking QB. Is he always smiling? Yes. Can you trust that little SOB? HELL NOPE.
That's another big one. I used to think it was about "hiding eyes behind hair" too...but I've already seen two characters who completely avert that one. |
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ChibiKangaroo
Posts: 2941 |
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I just couldn't help it! With Tokyo Ghoul coming into its second season, it was on my mind and the comparisons between Kaneki and Ganta are quite striking. Oh yea, and just for emphasis... Here's a beautiful smile from DMW... 
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15580 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Does this look evil to you?
I think some people consider one of the most classic super villains was the Joker, a man with a smile on his face, and I think says something about cultures telling you not to trust someone who smiles too much. Personally I don't entirely believe it, I think the crafty smiling good guy is a pretty cool part of anime and have some great characters like: Nyanta, Kumin Tsuyuri, Alucard, Zange Natsume, Shiranui Hansode, Ringo Akai, and Xerxes Break. I think these are characters that to certain people could be villains but despite their sneaky behaviour do actually want the best outcome. Back onto Log Horizon I think there is something that is shown with say the title of Villain in glasses, they are being a villain in manipulative with focus being not just glasses but a smile also, but this does not mean they are evil. A smile shows manipulation or maybe dark joy, but not necessarily evil, especially since evil itself can be seen as quite subjective. |
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Chiibi
Posts: 4829 |
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Oh my gawd, she's so cute! 
....looks like I'll have to finish that show.... |
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