The Criticism of Pandering, and Unoriginality

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

While Horizon and Last Exile have both admirably dodged bullets by managing to be either extremely hilarious

...But that's exactly why I watched Star Driver and am watching Guilty Crown!

Although I will admit that that's not why I expected to be watching Guilty Crown.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

There was a time when they weren't? Sorry I've just never really known LN's to be about anything but this.

From wikipedia so take it for what it's worth

In the 1980s, epic novels by Tanaka Yoshiki - Legend of Galactic Heroes and Heroic Legend of Arslan took young male Japanese audiences by storm.

As for something more recent: Do you consider Baccano and Durarara to be just about cute girls?

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by totoum

From wikipedia so take it for what it's worth



As for something more recent: Do you consider Baccano and Durarara to be just about cute girls?

I'm pretty sure the Tanaka works are just plain old novels. Baccano and Durarara are good counter examples though I suppose. Had no idea those were even originally from light novels.

[DonQuigleone]

I believe Tanaka's works were originally LNs as well, or whatever the 80s equivalent were.

[asaqe]

Well that's the point, Yamakan tapped into the true potentials of LNs but it was the fanservice and art done mostly by hentai artists that caught on. Back then, most character designers were working under internships with famous animators but since now most of them are aging or dead the only real way to break out now is to start with hentai. There are certain exceptions out there, but you got to have a lucky break if you don't want people finding out what you did in the past.

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

There was a time when they weren't? Sorry I've just never really known LN's to be about anything but this.

I believe The Story of Saiunkoku is also a light novel series. Although I suppose you can say that series has elements of a reverse harem.

Also there are the works of Fuyumi Ono (Ghost Hunt, Shiki, and Juunin Kokki). Although I think those are considered novels more so than light novels.

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by asaqe

Well that's the point, Yamakan tapped into the true potentials of LNs but it was the fanservice and art done mostly by hentai artists that caught on. Back then, most character designers were working under internships with famous animators but since now most of them are aging or dead the only real way to break out now is to start with hentai. There are certain exceptions out there, but you got to have a lucky break if you don't want people finding out what you did in the past.

I can say that it's probably true that most of the modern famous artists we know of have a record of producing erotic arts (I'd like to say "practically every one of them", but I have no hard evidence for it). Though, you speak as if being an eroge/hentai illustrator is a shameful thing. Well, if it's really that shameful, artists should use a pseudoname when they're doing their ero-arts like most voice actors did, no?

[DonQuigleone]

Originally Posted by erneiz_hyde

I can say that it's probably true that most of the modern famous artists we know of have a record of producing erotic arts (I'd like to say "practically every one of them", but I have no hard evidence for it). Though, you speak as if being an eroge/hentai illustrator is a shameful thing. Well, if it's really that shameful, artists should use a pseudoname when they're doing their ero-arts like most voice actors did, no?

A lot of them do use pseudonyms. Put it this way, if you're drawing for Jump, it's not going to be great for your career prospects if it becomes widely known you drew tentacle porn, it is a family magazine after all....

[erneiz_hyde]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

A lot of them do use pseudonyms. Put it this way, if you're drawing for Jump, it's not going to be great for your career prospects if it becomes widely known you drew tentacle porn, it is a family magazine after all....

Yeah, I can see that can be bad if the artist's a mangaka. I guess because we were talking about LNs, I was limiting my reference to LN artists. Also probably because it left a lasting impression when I had my moments of surprise of knowing names like Itou Noizi, Haga Yui, Haimura Kiyotaka, etc etc, were also eroge artists. So eventually I figured that it's normal for eroge artists to do LN illustrations too.

[asaqe]

You nailed it right on the head actually, and cross referencing artists on google does not help the association one little bit.

[asaqe]

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

A lot of them do use pseudonyms. Put it this way, if you're drawing for Jump, it's not going to be great for your career prospects if it becomes widely known you drew tentacle porn, it is a family magazine after all....

It is more about being lucky, then again Kubo was a fashion designer before becoming a manga artist...but once you get into the manga industry you are mostly set for life.