What are your Anime Pet Peeves?

[Full Metal Coast]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I wouldn't necessarily mind a long-standing anime romance having an implied or tasteful sex scene.

But, what I'm really talking about is more like... the romantic couple dancing together, the pair talking about their plans for the future as a couple, the two going on a date together (and it actually being recognized as a serious date by both of them), the two sharing laughs together, the two actually indicating that they're enjoying being in one another's company, playful ribbing/teasing of a Hitagi nature as opposed to the more classic tsuntsun irritated outbursts of anger/jealousy, and the two not completely losing it when somebody asks "how's you and your boyfriend there doing?" or "what plans do you and your girlfriend have this weekend?"

You know... a regular open sort of romance.

That's what I'd like to see in anime romances more.




I don't mind that in the early going of a relationship, but a real romance really should move past that after a month or two of in-canon shipteasing.

i agree with you TripleR 100%.

[Guernsey]

I hate the fac that no matter how the rivals train, they will never catch up to the heroes and the heroes are still powerful no matter what.

[Ricky Controversy]

-Wasted setups would probably be my biggest ticking point. I can't think of anything that grates on my nerves quite like when an interesting world is laid out before us and then is only given a cursory exploration. It's not that I feel every setting deserves massive exposition, but you come across anime where the sole function of the setting seems to be allowing for the initial coincidences that introduce certain characters to each other. Beyond that, in these cases, we will never or only extremely rarely see the way the setting impacts the characters' lives, which is especially frustrating in cases where the world is established to be very different from our own, but everyone lives like this isn't the case at all.

This also gets to me when it happens to individual characters: a character is established with some apparent elements that make them intriguing, arouse your curiosity to peer more deeply into them...and you get one of two outcomes. The first is that the character falls so far out of focus that no further examination can reasonably be done of said character, or the second--and more frustrating to me--the character remains in focus, but the things that make them unique are never examined any closer than surface-level.


-Bubble situations also bother me immensely. By a bubble situation, I mean a circumstance in which some radical change or drastic action takes place, but only touches the life of the character(s) it is immediately centered on. Understandably, some events only directly impact one or two people, but changes on the grand scale generally send ripples out through the social structure surrounding those who went through said event. This is a form of Status Quo Is God in that it shakes things up only for a select handful of characters and once they clean up the effects the mess has on them, it's all neatly tied off. It's sheer laziness nine times out of ten: a method of avoiding having to actually put the cast through real character development, because actually depicting character growth is harder than depicting static but unique characters--already seemingly a hard enough task for most.


-Finally, gratuitous eroticism bothers me a great deal. I can appreciate ero/ecchi/etc. in situations where it has some relevant bearing on the plot and characters involved, and is treated with due thoughtfulness, rather than just being smut for smut's sake. I'm not actually that hard to please on that accord: all I ask is that it not be treated like some removed element. All too often the issue is that the characters stop being themselves and just start going through a sort of stock set of 'erotic' behaviors. When it's over, they revert to themselves, and nothing has really changed, not even the way they relate to each other. Further, handling eroticism with due thought sometimes means having to realize that directly and explicitly illustrating that doesn't work for some characters, and that if you have to suggest the characters engaged in sexual activity, it's more fitting in that case to do it indirectly or with some obscuring. This consideration is rarely given, and we very rarely see any real tenderness, connection or identity: it becomes any two generic kids swapping tartar sauce.

[Guernsey]

I am beginning to grow annoyed at the 'Defeat Means Friendship' trope in shonen and some seinen. I don't know why it is used a lot especially in shonen but I hate this with a passion and it annoys me that hero/heroine always seem to get their way no matter what. Are trying to break the bad guy into submission or what?

[Dazarath]

Originally Posted by Guernsey

Did I mention this? I hate Touma and characters for being a one dimensional self righteous pricks weho have almost no personality or a even a clue of reality. Shirou is like this to a lesser degree but he should let Saber in the on the fights too.

Characters who are always right about everything and end up being right, those messiah characters tend to annoy me to death especially when they are right.

OMG, this! This has got to be my #1 pet peeve of all time. Yes, I know it's ironic that my avatar is Rin when Shirou annoys me to no end. I can think of a lot of series where the existence of the main character actually degrades the quality of the anime. Kind of related to this archetype is the whole "you can do it if you try hard enough" theme. I hate to break it to you, but if a person sucks at something, then it's almost guaranteed that there's someone else out there who's trying just as hard but has a ton more innate ability.

To break away from my shounen rant, I'll add a couple other more general dislikes I have:

- I really dislike the move towards PCness where the creators feel the need to have random characters of differing races/sexualities/whatever inserted that aren't relevant to the plot or setting at all. It's bad enough that it's everywhere in the US, almost to the point where people are considered racist if they don't throw in the obligatory token minority, but please leave it out of anime where the characters are usually drawn in such a way as to not be race-specific.

- Another thing I can't stand is prolonged periods where a character repeatedly says/yells the same person's name. Who's the genius that thought this would be a great idea? I don't think I need to explain this further.

[lubczyk]

Originally Posted by Dazarath

OMG, this! This has got to be my #1 pet peeve of all time. Yes, I know it's ironic that my avatar is Rin when Shirou annoys me to no end. I can think of a lot of series where the existence of the main character actually degrades the quality of the anime. Kind of related to this archetype is the whole "you can do it if you try hard enough" theme. I hate to break it to you, but if a person sucks at something, then it's almost guaranteed that there's someone else out there who's trying just as hard but has a ton more innate ability.

To break away from my shounen rant, I'll add a couple other more general dislikes I have:

- I really dislike the move towards PCness where the creators feel the need to have random characters of differing races/sexualities/whatever inserted that aren't relevant to the plot or setting at all. It's bad enough that it's everywhere in the US, almost to the point where people are considered racist if they don't throw in the obligatory token minority, but please leave it out of anime where the characters are usually drawn in such a way as to not be race-specific.

- Another thing I can't stand is prolonged periods where a character repeatedly says/yells the same person's name. Who's the genius that thought this would be a great idea? I don't think I need to explain this further.

I don't think the Japanese care about the race thing. They think it makes them "modern" and "cool!" to have minority characters.

On the whole yelling their name thing. Things like Inu Yasha and Fushigi Yuugi are Notorious for this. I dreaded reading Twlight with every other word being "Edward!!!" from Bella.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Dazarath

- I really dislike the move towards PCness where the creators feel the need to have random characters of differing races/sexualities/whatever inserted that aren't relevant to the plot or setting at all. It's bad enough that it's everywhere in the US, almost to the point where people are considered racist if they don't throw in the obligatory token minority, but please leave it out of anime where the characters are usually drawn in such a way as to not be race-specific.

I wrote this a while ago, but it bears repeating here given your point...

One of anime's major appeals to me, particularly vis a vis North American entertainment, is how it largely lacks PCness.

Now, I generally don't care much about the racial, sexuality, or gender breakdown of the cast... but what is very notable is how loads of great anime characters wouldn't even pass the PC litmus test here in North America. The rules of PC wouldn't allow them to even exist, sadly.

So, I'm glad that anime is less PC than North American entertainment.

[TheReclusiarch]

Super deform.
Whiny main characters.
Main characters with no guts.

[Oppius]

School Days fans and School Days itself.

[SuperSaiyanOver9000]

Originally Posted by Oppius

Yaoi!!!

Expect to see lots of them in 2010.

agreed

and dancing penises

[animeboy12]

Originally Posted by Dazarath

- I really dislike the move towards PCness where the creators feel the need to have random characters of differing races/sexualities/whatever inserted that aren't relevant to the plot or setting at all. It's bad enough that it's everywhere in the US, almost to the point where people are considered racist if they don't throw in the obligatory token minority, but please leave it out of anime where the characters are usually drawn in such a way as to not be race-specific.

Do you have some examples, because if there's one thing anime is not it is not Political correct, least not be western standards. Oh sure you have character of different ethnicities/racial backgrounds but what does that amount to? They're culturally Japanese(Ichigo Mashimaro, Ouran host club) or they're parodies of their culture(Ai Yori Aoshi, naruto..etc). As for as different sexualities goes I do see much of a problem BUT depending the genre your token girl/guy serves as a vehicle for fanservcice(90% of shonen manga).

And far critic in the US complaining race in American media. While a good portion of them are outlandish and have no a basis. A greater portion of them do sadly enough. Let's not kid ourselves American media hasn't even gotten it's foot off the ground as far as race not being an issue in our media.

Look I appreciate non-PCness as much as the next person but there's a huge difference between a few stereotypes played for laughs in Tenjho Tenge and just spewing racial hate garbage from "Hating the
Korean Wave"

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Now, I generally don't care much about the racial, sexuality, or gender breakdown of the cast... but what is very notable is how loads of great anime characters wouldn't even pass the PC litmus test here in North America. The rules of PC wouldn't allow them to even exist, sadly.

I'd almost be inclined to agree with you, but then I remembered that Mad bull 34 was released here with a dub

Originally Posted by Oppius

School Days fans and School Days itself.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by animeboy12

I'd almost be inclined to agree with you, but then I remembered that Mad bull 34 was released here with a dub

North America isn't so PC that it'll stop non-PC anime from being dubbed and released in North America. I'm not saying that it is.

What I'm saying is that you'd probably never see anything like Mad Bull 34 be made in North America.

That's what I mean.

Domestic North American entertainment has been almost suffocatingly PC in recent years and decades. You wouldn't see domestic North American entertainment create a lot of the anime characters that we know and love, or characters very much like them.

[animeboy12]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Domestic North American entertainment has been almost suffocatingly PC in recent years and decades. You wouldn't see domestic North American entertainment create a lot of the anime characters that we know and love, or characters very much like them.

Like who? Like I said I like non-pcness as much as the next guy but I can't see many anime character, well loved anime characters, that can't have a American counterpart.

[Reckoner]

My biggest pet peeve is forfeiting plot for mundane character interactions that are nearly identical in 1,000,000 anime out there. A very relevant example is currently airing, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun fits this description well. I just hate it when there are times in anime where the characters go to do supposed fun activities that really bear no consequence on the plot whatsoever. These are your typical "everybody goes to a hot spring" episodes.

Another pet peeve of mine is actually mentioned above... And that is how shallow romance is in anime. Many times you see the relationships before the fact and how they come to fruition, however, you hardly ever see how a relationship is working out after it has started. Though I often balk at the anime Clannad, I really did appreciate this aspect of its second season, After Story, since it delved into "happily ever after" that we are supposed to just assume. And yes, I would like to see characters not always be embarrassed of their relationships and just see an actual open romance.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by animeboy12

Like who? Like I said I like non-pcness as much as the next guy but I can't see many anime character, well loved anime characters, that can't have a American counterpart.

animeboy... modern American entertainment is very strict in how it presents female characters. The American equivalent of a Yamato Nadeshiko would be an instant no-no, for example.

Also, very sweet, soft, and soft-spoken female characters like Clannad's Nagisa, Kotomi, and Ryou; Haruhi's Mikuru Asahina; pretty much every female character in K-On except perhaps Ritsu... you'd never see an American equivalent to these characters get created.


What political correctness does, as it pertains to entertainment, is greatly limit the sort of characters you can have. It lessens variety, and drastically so. It's great to have some strong and outspoken female characters with a sharp wit (i.e. like pretty much every female character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), but you can have too much of any character type... and that's what PC does. You only get "acceptable" character types, and it lessens character diversity.

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

What political correctness does, as it pertains to entertainment, is greatly limit the sort of characters you can have. It lessens variety, and drastically so. It's great to have some strong and outspoken female characters with a sharp wit (i.e. like pretty much every female character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), but you can have too much of any character type... and that's what PC does. You only get "acceptable" character types, and it lessens character diversity.

Keeping to shows written by Joss Whedon, what about Kaylee and (non-berserk mode) River from Firefly? They're probably about as close to moe as you can get in live action.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

Keeping to shows written by Joss Whedon, what about Kaylee and (non-berserk mode) River from Firefly? They're probably about as close to moe as you can get in live action.

I never watched Firefly.

Perhaps a non-PC exception slips through every now and then, but you have to admit, 0utf0xZer0, that anime has more diversity in its female character types than American shows have.

Anime has its strong and outspoken female characters with a sharp wit (Shizuku, Hitagi, etc...), but it also has a lot of softer female characters as well.

[Matrim]

Keeping to shows written by Joss Whedon, what about Kaylee and (non-berserk mode) River from Firefly? They're probably about as close to moe as you can get in live action.

Tara also qualifies, IMO. And Fred to an extent. Let's face it, the man likes damsels in distress too, not just action girls.

Also, very sweet, soft, and soft-spoken female characters like Clannad's Nagisa, Kotomi, and Ryou; Haruhi's Mikuru Asahina; pretty much every female character in K-On except perhaps Ritsu... you'd never see an American equivalent to these characters get created.

Massive plus for American TV then as far as I am concerned. If true, something which I really, really doubt.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Matrim

Massive plus for American TV then as far as I am concerned.

So, you want less character diversity then? You want more of the same narrow range of character types?

Any character type gets tiresome after awhile.

The wisecracking, strong and outspoken Lois Lane-esque female character type is no exception.

If true, which I really, really doubt.

Why do you doubt it?

I've watched a fair number of popular North American sitcoms and TV shows, and I sure as heck don't see much diversity (as in real personality diversity) within the female casts of these shows. Mind you, the male casts often aren't all that diverse either...

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I've watched a fair number of popular North American sitcoms and TV shows, and I sure as heck don't see much diversity (as in real personality diversity) within the female casts of these shows. Mind you, the male casts often aren't all that diverse either...

Most of current sitcoms are seriously broken. There's 2 or 3 that even get me to crack a smile at all.
Frankly, I thought American commercial tv consisted these days of
1) faux-reality competition drama-emo
2) Law&Order x 10
3) CSI x 10
4) NCIS x 2
5) Infomercials
6) Commercials with a smattering of football.
7) Commercials with a smattering of pretend news

But on topic --- I'd like to see the anime makers get past the beat-to-death romance tropes. Every once in a while we get something like REC, Lov*Com, Toradora!, etc ... where we get a bigger picture, characters who don't quite fit the easy rut or necessarily exist only for the protagonist, or relationship exploring outside the shallow.