[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I think there's way too much focus on the age of the characters.

A few people bring up the impact that character age can have on certain target audiences, and this constitutes "way too much focus"?

No, I think it's a legitimate point.

Wouldn't a discerning adult viewer prefer a smart, involving series about a teenager over a dumb, boring one about an adult?

Yes, but that's not what's at question here.

It's that many viewers want to see stories that speak directly to them. That they can relate to. For many adult viewers, high school life is an old and fading memory, making it harder for them to relate to than a story involving adults in adult settings.

Now, speaking personally, I'm not yet at the point where a story involving teenage characters in high school is one that I can't relate to at all, and hence I can still very much enjoy such stories. But I will admit that a story involving adult characters is often one that I now find easier to relate to.

Even a College/University setting is one that's fresher in my memory than a high school one.

Are we so incapable of empathy that we only want to watch series about people who look like us?

It's not about people who "look like us". It's about people that are in a place in life similar to our own, whatever they may look like.

I'm now at a point where empathy is often all the emotional investment I can give to many anime characters. It can be hard for me to live vicariously through many anime main protagonists because they're living a life that I haven't lived for 12 years now, and will never live again. At best, it raises a sort of nostalgia in me, and makes me wish them well.

For some viewers, being able to live vicariously through the anime main protagonist increases emotional investment, and narrative immersion.

With an anime like Monster, for example, I can relate to how Dr. Tenma has to make serious sacrifices in his professional life in order to deal with struggles in his personal life. It's easier for me to put myself in his shoes, and wonder if I would make the same choices if I was him.

In any event, it can simply be nice to see a story that speaks directly to you, for a change.

So what's the lesson? Well, it's pretty clear that quality isn't a selling point on it's own. I'd also argue that the age of the characters doesn't ultimately matter so much either -

I disagree with you then. I think that a strong argument can be made that many of the long-time viewers of NoitaminA want to see animes with adult characters in adult settings.

It's unfortunate if good animes are hurt by this, but that's the cost of oversaturating the market with a certain type of anime.


I myself would welcome more animes with adult casts and adult settings.