How do you approach moe competitions?

[Triple_R]

Recent discussions and debates on various moe competition threads has left me curious about something.

That is, when people determine which character to vote for and/or support in a moe competition match-up, what is the main decisive factor for them?

Is it how moe the character is, or is it their assessment of the character's quality in general?

I wonder because I think there may be a bit of a disconnect here, causing disagreement on certain moe competition results, and so it might be interesting to see what determines people's votes here.


Speaking personally, I will typically go with my assessment of the character's quality in general.

For example, there was recently an ISML Exhibition Match pitting Ohana (Hanasaku Iroha) vs. Erio (Denpa Onna). I like both characters, I consider both characters moe, and I think both are good quality characters. However, I also think that Ohana is the higher quality character overall, but that Erio is more moe.

In such circumstances, who do you vote for or support? The best overall character, or the most moe character? Or are the two one and the same for you, rendering the question moot?

And so that's why I have this poll up. I'm looking forward to responses from all sides of this issue.

[Flower]

I usually try to vote for which character I consider more "moe" first. Of course whether or no I like the character influences the evaluation of this.

By the way, what do you think about a 4th option in the poll of something to the effect of "Other, see post below" content?

[Archon_Wing]

Because the distinction is "Moe" I go for that simply. The best character, whatever that may mean may not mean who is more moe, otherwise my favorite male characters would be kinda low. Excepting... Kaiji?

For example, my favorite characters go like:
1.) Tomoyo Sakagami
2.) Mai Kawasumi
3.) Fate Testarossa

My moe assesment is the exact opposite. So I'd vote as such in saimoe. It's fortunate, none of them mean a damn in saimoe anymore so I am spared from such decisions.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Flower

By the way, what do you think about a 4th option in the poll of something to the effect of "Other, see post below" content?

Good suggestion. I'll try to edit that in.

Edit: And I don't see any way of doing that. Editing system doesn't seem to allow me.

[mecharobot]

This is exactly why such polls and competitions are moot. People let their preferences cloud their judgement and eventually end up turning everything into mindless popularity contests.

[Demi.]

If it's a moe contest, I vote based on moe. If it's a favorite character contest, then I'll vote based on those guidelines. I thought Teresa (Claymore) was a pretty awesome character, but she is by no means moe. The same goes for Revy (Black Lagoon) or Balsa (Serei no Moribito). However, I'm a fan of moe characters so my absolute favorites tend to be quite moe themselves. But in order for a character to be top-tier moe she needs both depth, as well as looks. And back-story certainly helps. Characters like Yui from K-ON or Tsukasa from LS do nothing for me, as they try to pander to fans in the form of mindless kawaiiness...Which tends to be a complete turn-off for me. Lack of depth in a character can completely void a character of moe qualities, regardless how cute their appearance may be. At least to me.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Demi.

If it's a moe contest, I vote based on moe. If it's a favorite character contest, then I'll vote based on those guidelines. I thought Teresa (Claymore) was a pretty awesome character, but she is by no means moe. The same goes for Revy (Black Lagoon) or Balsa (Serei no Moribito).

Well, to be clear, I wouldn't vote for or support a character that I didn't consider to be moe at all.

But if the question is moderately moe/excellent character vs. very moe/decent character, I'll typically go with moderately moe/excellent character.

Basically, I think it looks good on the world of moe when moe characters that are excellent characters in general do well in these sorts of competitions.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by mecharobot

This is exactly why such polls and competitions are moot. People let their preferences cloud their judgement and eventually end up turning everything into mindless popularity contests.

Wait a sec ... isn't the contest in this case an attempt to see what characters are popular? What people's preferences and likes are?

I mean as opposed to some kind of objective evaluation of what is and is not "moe" or whatever?

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by mecharobot

This is exactly why such polls and competitions are moot. People let their preferences cloud their judgement and eventually end up turning everything into mindless popularity contests.

Wut... in a contest where you vote based on subjective preferences, how can they "cloud" your judgement?

Not that I'm saying these things mean anything of significance of course or disagreeing that they devolve into popularity contests. However, that's not exactly why...

[Flower]

Wow ... Archon Wing and I on the same page.

j/k, j/k

[Demi.]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Well, to be clear, I wouldn't vote for or support a character that I didn't consider to be moe at all.

But if the question is moderately moe/excellent character vs. very moe/decent character, I'll typically go with moderately moe/excellent character.

Basically, I think it looks good on the world of moe when moe characters that are excellent characters in general do well in these sorts of competitions.

By my guidelines, there is no such thing as a very moe/decent character. Exceptional moe spawns from both looks and depth.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by Flower

Wow ... Archon Wing and I on the same page.

j/k, j/k

Listen, you lowlife that will never amount to anything:

You will never be on the same page as me!

Crap, I dropped my hat.



Apologies if you haven't seen Penguindrum.

[Kyuu]

"Moe" is a null word and definition for me. Heck, it's general use as a term is meaningless; and it is therefore non-existent to me. I just stick with a basic general English description, pertaining to the "attractiveness of particular female characters".

With this in mind - here's a 3 point list:

* Is the character attractive?
* Is the series of the character particularly good?
* If neither of the two above, then go random, or not care.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Demi.

By my guidelines, there is no such thing as a very moe/decent character. Exceptional moe spawns from both looks and depth.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.

For me, there's actually a fair number of anime characters that are "very moe/decent character". They're pretty close, I think, to what you called "mindless kawaii" characters. Maybe a smidgen above that.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

Listen, you lowlife that will never amount to anything:

You will never be on the same page as me!

Crap, I dropped my hat.

Apologies if you haven't seen Penguindrum.

Well, to be honest I gave up on Penguindrum to actively follow as a series many eps ago, but that's a little off topic.

But before I get back on topic, all I have to say is:

****

Now then *cough cough* ... I think the point of competitions such as the ISML is primarily a measuring of what the largest % of people's preferences are as opposed to some kind of "objective evaluation" of ... well ... whatever, specifically in this case.

If you approach the ISML or other such things trying to somehow get an objective evaluation I think you are in for a let-down, quite frankly.

But as a way to get a very rough idea of what the larger number of folks who bother to participate in such things think and like it seems to work fine. At least imo and fwiw....

[wontaek]

None of them. I vote what my gut tells me just before clicking.

[Arkanis]

I voted for "Most moe" and "best overall" are one and the same to me.
Mostly because in my opinion a good character makes you care for it and therefore moe correlates to a noticable degree with the goodness of the character. (Which doesn't imply that these things are the same in contradiction to the wording of this choice.) Clearly there are many situations where good and moe isn't the same, but I don't think I could find a character the most moe when the character isn't good at the same time.

So, why did I not vote for "I aim to vote for the most moe character."? I think because of the word "aim". That sounds so much like a rational approach to a moe competition which collides with what moe is.

[Dawnstorm]

I rarely vote, because "moe" confuses me. I cannot vote degrees of moe; it's something I feel or don't. So in the end, if I do end up voting, I go for the best over-all character. (Though: "Lack of moe = no vote from me".)

[Ithekro]

Everything is so subjective that none of these responces work for what I do.
Nor can I really explain it either...since it is subjective.

[Ichuki]

I usually vote for which one is more moe unless it's two of my favourite characters pitted against each other then I'll vote for the more moe one in my opinion voting for which one is moe is starting to get obsolete in Saimoe contests because it looks like everyone is voting for who is the most popular not most moe and everyone goes for newer characters over older ones.