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Old 2012-10-02, 18:36   Link #36
NinjaRealist
Battoru!
 
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by hyl View Post
Did you even proof read what you just typed?
Maybe you should read this wikipedia entry to understand what a genre is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genre_fiction
I don't proof read everything I post, but I did proof read that last post, FYI.

And yes, I stand by what I said. There are certain character archetypes, settings, and plot devices, which pervade a large quantity of anime.

Not only that, but if you isolate individual genres within anime, not only are there certain genres which are almost entirely specific to anime or originate from anime (mecha, chastity couple harem comedies, DBZ style shounen fighters, gotta-catch 'em all/monster hunter series) but even genres which are not specific to anime have specific traits which routinely differentiate their anime versions.

For example, it's a fact that most anime slice-of-life comedies feature a cast which centers around high school females in high school settings. This is not true for say, American Live Action Slice-Of-Life Comedies, which tend to focus on middle-aged men doing thing at home or their places of work.

Character Archetypes which are ubiquitous in anime:

Tsundere - The ultimate anime character archetype, needs no explanation

Hot-blooded-fighter: Naruto, Luffy, Natsu, Kenichi, Goku etc.

Bishounen - Again needs no explanation.

Harem Dummy: Basically just a lifeless dummy to be fought over by various hot women. Again, needs no explanation.

Plot Archetypes:

Shounen fighter

Mahou Shoujo

Harem

Mecha

Stylistic Traits:

Stylized character style with spiky, impossibly colored hair, big eyes, and noticeably similar style across 90% of titles.

Over the top expressions, with certain types of faces signifying violence, embarrassment, and despair being popular across most titles.

Detailed background which often feature expressive use of texture and patterns to evoke emotions.

Almost all titles place a great deal of importance upon music and musical sequences, especially the intro and outro.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeijiSensei View Post
Of course not. Hollywood films have a dozen or so well-worn themes; so do television shows. You wouldn't consider these "genres" either, would you?

And while anime certainly has become more narrow in the half-dozen or so years that I have been watching it, I think your 90% figure reflects your own viewing decisions as much as the range of diversity in Japanese animation. Over the past year or so I've watched shows like Hyouge Mono, Space Brothers, Usagi Drop, Madoka Magica, Mine Fujiko, AKB0048, and Sakamichi no Apollon. I would hardly lump them all together into a "genre" called "anime."
Yes, I consider hollywood films to be a genre. There are certain stylistic features which define most hollywood films.
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